Everlong
by YoungandNaiveStill
Summary: And I wonder, when I sing along with you. If everything could ever feel this real forever. If everything could ever be this good again. As one co-star develops feelings for the other, he fights to keep his crush a secret from her whilst lying to himself in the process. Raura.
1. sleeping here instead

_A/N: So, I've never written a story about real people before, and I was hesitant to publish this, but after seeing a lot of pictures and interactions between the two of them over the past few months, I felt the need to write about how absolutely adorable I think they would be as a couple. This is obviously fiction, I actually do not think they are together, but if I were either one of them, I would strongly consider it. They have some serious chemistry and let me tell you, you're only a teenager once, it goes by way too quickly, so you have to seize the opportunities that come your way. Just sayin', the two play off each other really well and sometimes special things are waiting there right in front of you. Set in the not so distant future, they're both 18 and in the third season of Austin and Ally._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this story. _

_Rating: T for mature themes and language_

**_Everlong_**

_There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back_

_Well tell her that I miss our little talks_

_Soon it will be over and buried with our past_

_We used to play outside when we were young_

_And full of life and full of love_

_-Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men_

1: sleeping here instead

He lay in his bunk, blankly staring at the carpeted wall above him. It was pitch black except for the light green glow of his watch alerting him that it was almost 1 AM. Everything was eerily quiet, his brothers and sister already all fast asleep in their own bunks. The motor roared below him, its vibration typically able to soothe him to dream-filled sleep on most any other night.

But not tonight.

He tossed and turned, one direction to the next, trying to lull himself into some comfortable position. He turned up the volume on his iPod, trying everything from Metallica to Mozart, but nothing could calm the thoughts in his head.

He always felt a buzz after a show, and tonight was no different. He loved to see the adoring faces in the crowd; he liked to be blinded by the lights and deafened by the screams. With every beat of the drum, every strum of the guitar, he felt an unbelievable rush run through his whole body. He felt this incredible power when he was up on stage, like he was absorbing all of the energy from their fans. He felt invincible. But tonight, the high from the show wasn't the reason he lay wide awake. Even though everyone had told him he had performed a great show, he had felt a little off afterwards, off kilter. He was a little moodier than usual, and he wasn't sure why.

He checked his phone for the fiftieth time after the show, no new texts. A dozen new mentions at least popped up since the last time he checked his Twitter a few minutes ago. Still no messages from the one person he wanted them to be from. He saw she had been having a pun-filled conversation with some guy and couldn't help but feel a little irritated. That was his job to make her laugh, who did that guy think he was?

The infectious beat of the Lumineers filled his ears as he automatically started tapping his hands to the simple melody. The complexity of the arrangement really struck him, as he picked out the banjo, the guitar, and the tambourine and listened to each instrument individually, repeating the song over and over. The lyrics really resonated with him, the parts about sleeping and family were very apropos to his life. He did feel a little bit lonely on the road, even though people surrounded him constantly. The one person whom he knew could make him feel better wasn't around. Maybe that had something to do with it.

His fingers quickly flew over the keypad, hitting send before he could stop himself. It was getting late there. He shouldn't have bothered her. But she would be awake. She had to be.

_What are u doing?_

She texted back immediately, sending a surge straight to his chest. There was something comforting in the fact that despite the distance between them, they were connected, doing the same thing.

_Getting ready for bed, how was the show?_

_Phenomenal as usual. ;)_

_So humble. Where are u?_

_Somewhere b/w Chicago n STL._

_Fun! I gg to bed._

_Why, I can't sleep._

_I see that. I have school tomorrow._

_Lame. _

_I will see you next week. GO TO SLEEP._

_Sweet dreams_

He smiled as his phone flickered off. He continued to tap his foot to the beat, his mood immediately improved. He loved that about her, even though she wasn't physically present, her positivity was contagious. He didn't know anyone else like her. She appreciated the good in everything and was upbeat and endlessly energetic. He certainly was not like that, he had his moods, just ask anyone in his family. The casting directors had gotten it right, he and his co-star were truly opposites that made a complimentary pair.

"Dude, if you don't stop tapping your foot, I'm going to rip it off! And you won't have a leg to stand on," Rocky mumbled sleepily from the bottom bunk, kicking his foot into Ross's backside.

He stopped moving his feet, mentally writing down that pun to share with her later. He snuggled up, his arms wrapped around his pillow, thinking of how her cheerful face would erupt into a smile at his brother's stupid joke, as he finally drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

"Morning guys," Mom said cheerfully as she made her way into the common area of the bus.

A bunch of mumbled good mornings greeted her, but the guys barely looked up from the video game they were playing. She moved to stand in front of her boys with her hands on her hips.

"A little tired this morning, guys?"

Rocky ripped open the foil casing of a pop tart and popped it in his mouth. "Yeah, well if Ross hadn't been remaking _Drumline_ with his feet last night and not sexting his girlfriend, maybe some of us would have gotten some sleep last night."

"Whatever, man. Like you haven't kept us all up before with your snoring," Ross protested, giving his older brother a glare. He intentionally left out any rebuttal about the girlfriend comment, no use in fanning the fire. When it came to Rocky, it was just best to try and change the topic. Annoying big brothers.

Rocky huffed, "I don't snore."

"Umm, yeah you do," Riker replied with a snicker.

Their mother held up her hands for a ceasefire. "Who were you _texting_?" she directed at him after giving Rocky a stern look. Of course, their mother would bring the topic right back up, when he was trying to distract away from the subject. Even she was sabotaging him.

He hesitantly replied with a little lie, "Laura, she had a big test today and I was just wishing her luck."

"At 1 in the morning?" Rocky questioned disbelievingly, his eyebrows raised.

"It was 11 back in LA, dumbass," he retorted sharply.

"Ross!" their mother warned.

"Sorry, it was 11, _idiot_." Ross furiously punched the buttons and flicked the controller, but it was no use. Rocky threw down his controller and got into his younger brother's face.

"Oh how do you like that, maybe if you'd gotten some rest, you'd be able to beat me, son. That's how you do it." He gave Ratliff a high five, celebrating a little too excessively. Ross wanted to punch him in the balls.

"Whatever, dick. At least girls like me." Ross tossed the controller to Ryland, and stalked off towards his bunk.

"Good comeback, Bro," he laughed as Ross gave him a secret middle finger out of the view of their mom.

He had started the morning off great, he woke up bright and early, having had a pleasant dream. It was the kind where you couldn't quite remember what it was, but you felt pretty good when you finally opened your eyes. But then his jackass brother had soured his mood significantly in the way that only he could.

There were only a few more shows until the end of the tour, and then Ross would go back to everyday "normal" life. Hopefully without having stabbed one of his brothers before that point.

Ross loved touring, playing live music, and meeting fans, but he did also miss his daily routine on the show, without his family suffocating him all the time. He loved them all, but lately you couldn't turn around without hitting one of his siblings. What he really needed was some privacy. He was a teenage boy; he needed alone time to do teenage boy_ things_. A few months with your family on a nationwide roadtrip, and you would long for solitary confinement, too.

Speaking of, his sister sat near the front of the bus working on her computer, her pink headphones covering her ears. She looked up at him wordlessly as he sat across from her at the small banquette. He plugged in his iPod and pulled out a script to study. Sometimes he got along with Rydel the most as she was always off doing her own thing and didn't ask any questions. Most people thought she had it the roughest being the only girl, but he thought she was pretty lucky. Even though he and his brothers gave her shit all the time, she pretty much got to do whatever she wanted. Plus, she got away with everything.

He read a few pages of the script, but he couldn't concentrate. It wasn't even an episode that focused on him and Ally. Well, _Austin_ and Ally. Sometimes he had to differentiate between the two. There was a lot of Trish and Dez stuff revolving around a mystery-solving plot, which was great, because it put the spotlight on Raini and Calum, who deserved every bit of the attention. Every time there was a Trish/Dez centered episode, it took the pressure of carrying the whole show off him and Laura. Their two characters were finally together, and the fans wanted to see more of it. That made for very exhausting shoots and learning extensive dialogue. Not that he was complaining, though. He had the best job in the world, it was just a lot of pressure.

Good thing the writers played a cat and mouse game with their viewers, almost giving them what they wanted to see one week, but then interspersing an off topic episode in between. They really did like to fuck with the audience a little bit.

He personally wanted to see where they were taking the relationship, _Austin and Ally_ being a Disney show and all. Obviously, they weren't going to take it as far as he would have liked, they weren't on HBO, but he wanted them to at least show a kiss between their characters. They'd gone through the trouble of shooting those scenes, so why not use those takes?

Maybe their writers just liked playing cruel jokes on their actors, knowing full well how awkward having to kiss your co-star over and over again in front of your parents and siblings could be.

It's really awkward. Especially when her father is staring you down in his quiet Italian Mafioso way. And when your mother is practically squealing how cute you are to everyone on set and snapping pictures to post on her twitter. You are 18 years old, and it is embarrassing.

They were good kisses though. She was soft and warm, and she smelled like vanilla. He would never forget that first time. She was so on edge, she practically jumped a foot in the air when he tried to touch her cheek for the scene. Her lips had quivered just at they touched his, her anxiety about the whole thing was palpable. She was so nervous, had been for weeks leading up to the big day. He thought it was adorable, and he teased her mercilessly about it. He was her first kiss. And then her second through fifth kiss. It was chaste and very brief, but very comfortable, like he'd been kissing her for years. It was all good, if not a little timid, but they were some of the better onscreen kisses he had ever had.

He turned on his iPad and scrolled through the R5 tumblr feed, chuckling to himself at all the fans who "shipped" Austin and Ally, and even more comically, him and Laura. He had been surprised to say the least when he found out there was even a name for their coupling, the very clever and catchy, "Raura." And those fans were hardcore, always bringing it up whenever they did appearances together. What he loved even more was that it made Laura squirm, even though she tried to play it off all cool. She avoided the topic anytime she was asked, immediately deflecting to nervous laughter or anything else. Raini even got into the fray, changing the topic for her even when he or Calum brought it up in a live chat or on Twitter. The girls really had no sense of humor about it at all. He actually thought it was kind of cute that they all thought they'd make a good couple, but the fans would be very disappointed to know that there wasn't anything going on there at all.

"Hey, Ross," Rydel kicked him under the table to get his attention.

"Yeah?" He took out one earbud and met her eyes.

"Would you look at this video?" She pressed play to show him a lyric video she made for their next single. It looked great. She was much better at this stuff than any of the boys, but he wasn't going to admit that.

"It looks awesome. You should post that. " He clicked to make the screen bigger, but accidentally clicked onto Rydel's twitter page. The brown haired girl in one of the icons caught his eye, and he realized she was still carrying on a conversation about novel puns with this dude. Who was this guy with his endless literary puns? His eyes imperceptibly narrowed. Not cool, dude, not cool.

* * *

A/N: So, what do you all think?


	2. happy, free, confused, and lonely

_A/N: Thanks for all the positive feedback on this story! I'm really enjoying writing it, even though the real life events of the past few days have messed up my planned Prom storyline, so thanks a lot, Raura. :) Sorry if this chapter is a little slow, some of them will be, but hopefully you'll get to see more of where Ross is coming from. Stick with me, it's a slow build with hopefully a good outcome, like most friendships that turn into relationships. Leave me a review if you enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this story._

_Rating: T for mature themes and language_

**Everlong**

2: we're happy, free, confused, and lonely in the best way

_She's got a smile that it seems to me  
Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky  
Now and then when I see her face  
She takes me away to that special place  
And if I stared too long  
I'd probably break down and cry_

_-Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses_

He walked back onto the set after a month's absence, feeling fresh and rejuvenated. As soon as he stepped back onto the lot, he felt a wave of contentedness wash over him. He was home. Pixie ran up to him, tail eagerly wagging, and he bent down to give her a good scratch behind her ears. Everything looked exactly the same as when they had wrapped, and that was comforting to him. No matter where he'd go in the world, he'd have Austin and Ally. The prop guys all bustled around, rushing off to get the sets and shots ready, as he cut through the Sonic Boom set to get to his dressing room. Today they had some wardrobe fittings and a promotional photo shoot. He was glad the schedule was not up to full swing this week, as he was still running ragged from the road, but he couldn't wait to get back into the thick of it. He was really looking forward to seeing his castmates. It had been far too long.

Before he headed to his own dressing room, he stopped at hers and gave a swift knock. He waited for a few moments, surmising that she hadn't gotten in yet, and turned when he saw Calum and Raini walking down the hall. They were already in full costume, Calum adorned in a pair of god awful paisley pants and Raini in a cheetah-print vest.

"Hey guys!" he called out.

"Hey, man, long time." Calum pounded his fist against his and blew it up.

"Hey, Ross," Raini chirped, giving him a hug. "Looking for Laura? She's got school this morning, but she'll meet up later."

He nodded, feeling a twinge of disappointment. "I have a ton of stuff to show you guys from the tour, including the first bra I was thrown." He flashed an impish grin and raised his eyebrows suggestively, giving Raini a little nudge on her arm.

"Giggity," Calum mimed as he gave him a high five.

"You are both children," Raini stated, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Calum answered, "Ma-ma," with his arms outstretched as she backed away from him. Ross burst out laughing at the not so amused look on her face. She and Laura were too easy to tease, that's why it was one of his favorite pastimes.

"Oh my god, it's already starting. I need an adult! I need Laura, I need someone sane to balance you two clowns out," Raini complained.

"Which reminds me. You know what I'm in the mood for, Calum?" He started towards Raini as her eyes widened. The two boys shared a knowing look, the plot building in their heads.

Calum approached from her other side, reading Ross's mind. "What might that be, Ross?"

"A Raini sandwich!" The two guys bumped up against her, _Night at the Roxbury_ style, as she shook her head and tried to get away.

"I hate you both so much," she gasped in a fit of laughter as the two boys gave each other high fives again.

This is what he missed most about being on set, the camaraderie amongst the four of them. He had really missed his friends. There was still one piece of their puzzle missing, and he couldn't wait for her to arrive and complete their quartet. Without her, he didn't feel whole. He was the yin to her yang. He was the Austin to her Ally.

* * *

He playfully did a windmill on the guitar and mugged for the photographer as the flashes kept blinding him. His jaw hurt from smiling so widely, but Austin was a fun loving guy! Ross may not have been as crazy and wild as Austin was, but he was sure going to portray it! These promo pictures always seemed so cheesy to him, but at least they were finally giving Austin a better wardrobe than 1999 boyband lookbook of previous seasons. He wore a chambray shirt, dark denim and gray kicks; Austin finally looked like a man and not like a little kid. He shouldn't complain, though, at least he didn't have to wear Dez's wardrobe. He hated suspenders and clown pants. So things could be worse.

"Ready for Laura to join on set," the assistant called out. His pulse quickened as they announced his co-star's arrival, now it was time for the real money shots. Well, not those kind of money shots. Not with Laura. Gross.

Her smiling face greeted him as she ran up to him and flung her arms around him. "Hi! Oh my gosh, you look great!" she yelled as she continued to prattle on about school; she was practically giddy. Ebullient. That was Laura's baseline.

He would never tell her this, because she would take it completely the wrong way, but she always reminded him of a chihuahua. She was little, had deep brown eyes, was cute, and was always shaking with excitement. Today, she was wearing these crazy high heels, TIGHT jeans, and a tank top and she looked great. She was a serious hottie, and the best part was that she had no idea. She had a little color on her, a little extra rosiness to her cheeks. The time off had done her good.

"You look gorgeous."

She batted his arm with her hand, sending a little quiver to his stomach. "Oh stop, Ross," she flippantly disregarded his comment. He hated that she never took it seriously when he complimented her. How come she got to give everyone else compliments, but she could never receive them gracefully? Laura was a super confident girl, fun and smart, but she chose not to believe that anyone would seriously think she was pretty. It was ridiculous. She was naturally beautiful and she had the whole girl next door thing down. Who wouldn't think she was hot?

He definitely appreciated the change in Ally's wardrobe, making her look much hotter after the first season. It's not like _Laura_ had changed, but Ally's wardrobe was definitely a little sexier, edgier and he was not complaining. After all, he didn't see _Austin_ being that into old Ally with her weird vests and slouchy socks. And her hair was much better, longer with the blonde ombre thing going on. _Austin_ would definitely be more into that. He nodded at everything she was saying, the words spewing from her mouth a mile a minute. He chuckled to himself just watching her. Even with the heels, she still had to stand on her tiptoes to hug him. He was almost a good foot taller than her and he loved that the height difference afforded him a great vantage point.

Hey, he was an 18-year-old guy, he'd noticed when she'd developed breasts. Nice perky ones, the perfect handfuls. Or so he imagined. The wardrobe people really should have considered that before they put her in loose fitting garments. Or those tight little sweaters, those killed him. Or those super tight jeans that hugged her ass so well…girl had some serious junk.

"Ross, are you even listening?" she whispered into his ear, tickling it with her breath. He leaned back, and nodded an affirmation, still firmly attached to her.

He had to stop daydreaming, he'd been caught staring more than once before. She made it hard for him to concentrate sometimes.

He buried his face into her rosehip-scented hair, which flowed in waves down her back, inhaling her deeply. She always joked that she smelled like a grandma, but he secretly loved it. Both teens didn't even realize they were being photographed until they moved to disengage, and the photographer yelled at them to stay like that.

"Those shots will make great promo leaks," a network rep stated, furiously taking notes on her phone.

"Well, we gotta give the fans what they want," a PR woman reinforced, winking at the two stars.

"So we're going to have sex this season?" he whispered out of earshot.

"Umm, eww, Ross. Austin and Ally are asexual," Laura answered with her characteristic giggling lilt, her eyebrows raised. He squeezed her a little closer, eliciting a little squeak. He had definitely missed the sound of her laughter.

"Tell that to the people on Tumblr, the horny perverts." The photographer's assistants poked and prodded them, moving their limbs and correcting his posture as more shots were snapped. They smoothed his hair just so, putting extra product in it as she rolled her eyes and laughed at him. He didn't care how stupid he looked if it could make her laugh like that.

Now that their characters, Austin and Ally, were a couple, there were a lot more close ups, touches, embraces and teasing shots than previous years. He didn't mind, it was pretty fun, and felt natural to be teasing Laura. He tickled her, he put his arm around her, he gave her little shoves. That was the best thing about acting, he basically just got to play around all day. He made her laugh uncontrollably at several puns (he still had it), and that was all caught with the camera. He mussed her hair up, getting a shocked look that was priceless. That one was definitely going up on his Instagram.

She jumped around, gesticulating a point wildly, giving herself a high five, her eyes wide. She was so tiny, he sometimes wanted to just put her in his pocket.

She posed alone, awkwardly flailing her arms about in that Laura way. He didn't have any other way to describe it. She pouted at the camera and giggled, "See this pose, Ross? Nailing it!" He just shook his head, she was so silly sometimes.

"Now, Laura, take off your shoes. We'll have Laura stand up on this box," the director demanded. They slid a wooden step under her so that she was just below eyeline with him. She pushed an errant blond lock out of his eye. The assistant arranged their limbs around each other in a loose hug, separating their bodies so that their pelvic regions were not touching. That wouldn't be very Disney, would it?

"Awww!" Raini yelled. Ross looked over at the most of the cast and crew who had gathered, and they all looked like they were swooning. What a bunch of nerds.

"Look up at Ross, pretend you're madly in love with him," the photographer suggested with a smirk.

"Pretend?" he joked, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd. There was a subtle hint of a blush threatening to caress her cheeks as she shook her head at him.

"Yeah, he wishes," she returned, sticking out her little pink tongue at him. He grabbed his chest with exaggerated hurt feelings. His mouth opened to reply, but he snapped it back closed.

"Great, that was great, what you just did. Do it again," the photographer directed.

She hesitantly let her tongue slide out again, looking up at him through her long lashes. Ross couldn't help but stare at it, mesmerized. She had no idea how sexy she was with just a simple gesture. He blinked a few times to regain his bearings.

"Amazing, great job guys. Let's bring Raini and Calum out to do the group shots." He turned and saw his two other co-stars walking in from the wings, Calum with a big smug grin on his face and Raini's eyes wide and bright.

"Girls, you sit on either end of the couch, Ross, you sit up on the top of the couch, Calum you lean over the couch between Laura and Raini." He was pretty sure they'd done this exact pose for one of the previous year's promotional ads, but whatever. He was sure they would also do the all four kids walking through the hallway with him randomly playing a guitar shot, and also the requisite Austin and Ally piano bench shots. Those were his favorites.

"Okay guys, great job, that's a wrap on the stills. We need to move on the video promos, let's get some group ones done so we can wrap on Raini and Calum."

This was his favorite part of the promos, they basically just blasted music and all four of them would dance around, freestyling however they wanted.

"Someone turn on something good, not Calum's iPod, please," Raini teased.

"Hey!" he replied, snapping his fingers in her face in jest.

"I can't listen to Single Ladies again, guys, I mean it," she poked him in the chest.

"Seriously though, that's my favorite song," Calum deadpanned.

"Guys, seriously, let's get this rolling," the videographer sternly warned. Someone turned up the music, and Taylor Swift's 22 filtered through the speakers. Ross groaned, he was sick of this song. Laura and Calum both started singing all the lyrics, Calum gyrating exaggeratedly, his hips shaking.

Ross just stood there, shaking his head. "Oh my god, I can't even…" he snickered, taking in the sight of his three co-stars doing what did not pass as "dancing."

"Everything will be all right, if you keep me next to you," Laura sang to Ross, shaking her shoulders and jumping around. Raini tossed her head around in the Taylor fashion, her hair swishing to and fro. Laura grabbed his hands and pulled him up from the couch. He reluctantly started to dance around with her, letting her take the lead. He did a few spin moves, the Disney people loved to use those in the promos.

She tossed her hair back and laughed at Calum and Raini as they started reenacting the Kid N' Play dance. He watched as his three friends busted their moves, acting silly and having fun. It was days like this when he felt like the luckiest guy in the world, and he wished it could be this way forever.


	3. i hope it's gonna make you notice

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, they motivate me to write, so keep them coming. This chapter is a little bit long, but there's Laura background and jealous Ross, which is my and everyone's favorite, so hopefully you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Kings of Leon, No Doubt, and Guster.

Rating: T for mature themes and language

* * *

**Everlong**

3: I hope it's gonna make you notice

_You're my satellite_

_You're riding with me tonight_

_Passenger side, lighting the sky_

_Always the first star that I find_

_You're my satellite_

_Maybe you will always be_

_Just a little out of reach_

_-Satellite, Guster_

"That's a wrap!" Everyone clapped and Calum let out a whoop of joy, peeling off a ridiculous hat he'd been forced to wear for the past two days. It had been a grueling week of reads and filming for everyone. Unfortunately the work wasn't over for Ross and Laura, who had a dinner meeting with the network people and Kevin and Heath, their showrunners.

He shuffled behind the girls as Calum chattered on about his upcoming appearance at the Mall of America. Ross's eyes were trained to Laura's butt as she walked ahead in a tight skirt. He loved the way those peplum tops she always wore accentuated her curves. Thank you, wardrobe people.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Raini asked, her eyes glued to her phone's screen.

"Well, Ross and I are having dinner with our moms, Kevin and Heath, and some of the network people tonight. And tomorrow I have a date!" Laura squealed.

Raini stopped in her tracks, causing Ross to almost walk right into her. "Oh my god, with who? That hottie from your sister's show?" Her eyes were wide and bright.

Laura blushed but shook her head no. "No, he's not an actor. He's from my AP Bio class. We were lab partners and I thought he was so cute, but he's had a girlfriend forever, but they just broke up, so…" she trailed, looking at the ground.

"OMG! What are you going to wear? Do you think he's going to ask you to prom?" Raini prattled on while Ross silently processed all the information in his head.

Laura was going on a date?

So what? Why should that bother him?

Why was he even thinking twice about it?

He automatically nodded to something Calum had said, then said his goodbyes, ducking into his dressing room to collect his things. His heart was racing and he felt warm all over. Maybe he was getting sick or something; he didn't really feel like himself.

Laura stuck her face into the room. "Ready to go?" He nodded, having agreed to drive her to their meeting, as her mom had dropped her off earlier. Even though she was technically one month older than him and had her license longer, she still had no car. And he had a pretty sick car, a Challenger he'd restored with his dad. He didn't mind driving her around, he liked her company, as long as she didn't eat Gogurts in the car.

No Gogurts in the car. Not after the Gogurt incident of January 2013.

"So what do you think they're going to tell us?" she asked, buckling herself in.

"I think they're going to tell us that they're sending us somewhere awesome again, like Australia," he stated, his eyes gleaming.

"Oh my god, that would be amazing!" she shouted, her decibel level rapidly ascending. "Maybe we'll get to go to Europe! Or Asia!"

"That'd be sweet. I think they're also going to send us to the upfronts again."

"Oh, I can't wait to go back to New York." He nodded in agreement, deciding to jump right into the question he was dying to ask.

"So, what's this I hear about you going on a date?" It sounded less confrontational and more subtle in his head.

Her cheeks flushed crimson. "You eavesdropper, yeah I have a date tomorrow night. It's not a big deal," she downplayed, a happy grin on her face. He liked seeing her happy like this, but it didn't stop the knots from twisting in his stomach. God, he hoped this wasn't like the flu or something. He hated being sick.

"Who's the lucky guy? What's his name? Where does he live? Does he have good car insurance?" Ross shot off, rapid fire.

"Okay, whoa, you sound like my dad. Like, what is happening right now, Ross. His name is Jake. He's a guy from school and he's very responsible. He has a 4.6 GPA, he's on the water polo team and he's going to attend Duke next year."

Ross had to fight to hold his displeasure back. Water polo? A future Dukie? He could have unleashed a slew of insults. This guy sounded like a preppy prick.

"Where is he taking you?" he interrogated.

"I think the movies or to get some food, why?" she wondered aloud.

"Well, you just let me know if he gets too handsy, I'll get my boys and we'll throw down."

"Oh my god. Please don't embarrass yourself or me," she laughed.

"I mean it, you say the word, and I'm there for you," he repeated, his eyes serious. He focused back on the drive as she stared at him. His slightly parted lips were set in a grim line, his expression emotionless.

She detected a hint of…jealousy in his tone? She brushed off the thought, Ross did not think of her that way. He was probably worried about her. Yes, it was true that she didn't have the longest dating history (it was actually nonexistent up until this point), but she could take care of herself. She made good decisions. Still, it was pretty cute how concerned for her wellbeing he was though. What 18-year-old boy would care that much?

She glanced back over at him as he continued to stare straight ahead. He seemed a little annoyed, maybe even a little mad. It was probably something else bothering him, it was totally presumptuous for her to think that she was the cause of his issues. She fiddled with the radio, finally settling on an old Kings of Leon song.

They simultaneously reached for the volume knob to turn it up, their hands brushing just for a second. Just long enough to make them draw back and look at each other. They both chuckled nervously, letting the awkwardness slide.

He tapped along to the beat, soon singing along to all the words. She joined in, their voices blending into one. She smiled at him. They _did_ make good harmony together. She was so glad they had been cast in the show together, she couldn't imagine being Ally to someone else's Austin. For someone so talented and handsome, he was so down to earth and nice. He was _so_ nice; she couldn't get over it. Boys at her school who were not great at all could be total conceited jerks, and Ross, who had every right to be high on himself, was one of the best guys she knew.

It was hard for her to read him sometimes. He was a little more reserved, a little guarded, in contrast to her, a person who wore all her emotions on her sleeve. She wondered who or what he was thinking of when he was staring off into a dream because sometimes he seemed a little sad. She really wanted him to be happy, to find someone. She'd even gone as far as to try to hook him up with different Disney starlets and girls she knew from the outside world, but nothing ever worked. Ross Lynch would forever be a mystery to her, but she was glad he let her in as much as he did.

They spent so much time together, both on set and off, constantly around each other, doing appearances and interviews, it was hard not to develop a little crush on him. But that's all it ever was, a little crush. That little feeling that all awkward girls (and she firmly placed herself in that category) got when they were thrust into situations with really cute, nice boys. And he really was such a cool guy, who happened to possess endless charm and chivalrousness. How could you not like someone like that? They weren't all out romantic feelings, but just little flutterings in your belly when you caught a whiff of his cologne or when his hand accidentally touched yours. Or when he hugged you or got too close.

Or when you had your first kiss with him, times five, on camera, in front of your parents and all of his family.

Lots of girls had crushes on Ross, he was a bona fide teen dream, and she could definitely understand why. He walked that fine line between dangerously sexy and sensitive. He had the whole rebellious yet nice enough to take home to your parents thing down pact. And he was such an old, romantic soul. He was totally the guy who would climb the trellis to sneak into your room and serenade you in the middle of the night.

Not like she had thought of that before or anything.

But it was strictly professional between them. It had to be. It was basically written into their contracts, that's how serious they took it at the House of Mouse. She found it amusing that so many fans wanted them to be together, when it really did feel like a brother and sister relationship. Especially now, when he was acting all big brother, protector figure-y.

Not that the thought hadn't crossed her mind a million times. They hung out all the time, but they wouldn't ever be more than friends. First of all, they were way too comfortable with one another. Ross had seen her looking her worst, first thing in the morning with no makeup on. Atrocious. The worst thing about that was that he never looked bad, even after having slept for 18 hours on a transpacific flight he was photoshoot ready. She hated him for that.

Secondly, guys like Ross didn't go for girls like her. She was a goody two shoes, a rule follower. She considered herself to be a plain Jane type, who spent more nights snuggled up to her computer or with Elizabeth and Darcy, than out partying and going on dates. She was so not his type, judging from the girls he went for in the past.

No, he was attracted to crazies, girls who drove him to the edge of madness. Ross liked excitement, tempestuousness, jealousy and all the drama that came with it. Laura was not like that at all. She was a nice girl; she could probably be considered a little boring, and thus she would be forever relegated to the friend zone.

She was super thankful for him though. She had been so awkward around boys before meeting him. She had been uber awkward around him the first few weeks after meeting him, and everyone could probably tell. He just made her so nervous. She was all spazzy and squeaky, but he made it so easy to be comfortable around him, and their relationship really evolved into a friendship quickly. That definitely translated to their onscreen alter egos, and it gave her confidence off screen as well. She owed Ross a lot. Really, her recent luck with the opposite gender was all because of him.

He stopped the car and hopped out, as the valet helped her out of the passenger side. Ross caught the guy's lingering eye on his friend's ass and shot him a dirty look. The guy shot him a lascivious grin and a thumbs up and Ross sneered at him, tossing him the keys.

The two were ushered to a table near the back, where their mom-agers and the show creators were already waiting. Greetings were all exchanged, but the talk quickly switched to all business after the two teens were seated.

"So, guys, we brought you here for this meeting to discuss a few things," one of the producers stated ominously. Ross played with his napkin before his mother slapped his hands, imploring him to pay attention. He got bored during these meetings and would usually bother Laura by kicking her feet or flicking her arms or something, but she was enthralled by the conversation.

"As you know, Austin and Ally is doing exceptionally well right now, earning up to 7 points most weeks in the kids and tweens demographic. That's huge, guys. You're the most popular sitcom on the network. You should be proud of that."

Laura's face panicked, where was this going? Where they going to cancel the show? The stats all sounded good, but their tone sounded bad. She grabbed onto her mother's hand and squeezed for the extra support. They couldn't cancel the show yet, she would miss her friends and the crew too much.

"So, we know that a lot of that comes from the fact that your characters have gotten together in a romantic sense, so to speak."

So to speak? What were their characters doing if they weren't together romantically, Ross wondered.

"But what we've decided to do…is to break you guys up," Heath continued delicately.

Ross shared a disbelieving look with Laura before stating, "You're breaking up Austin and Ally? I mean, if the coupling is what the audience wanted, and judging by the amount of 'Auslly' comments we get on our fanpages, I think it is, wouldn't it make sense to keep them together?"

Kevin quickly added, "When something like that happens, shows can get complacent, they get into this stagnant period and then things can become really stale, really quickly. Then the audience starts to go because things become really predictable. _Entertainment Weekly_ already suggested that our show had jumped the shark with you two getting together. This way we're ahead of the game, just throwing some curve balls, keep the audience guessing."

"Okay, well when is it going to happen?" Laura's face fell, she was more disappointed than she thought she would be. She liked playing Austin's girlfriend. It was basically her first relationship ever…even though it was pretend for a TV show.

"Not for a few episodes. And it's not a permanent thing guys, we will likely have them back together before the series finale. That just depends on if we decide to proceed with a fifth season, which you know is not the norm for Disney Channel shows."

Both actors nodded, most Disney channel shows stopped production after 60+ episodes, it was a well-known fact that they had an expiration date. It was done mostly to usher in new talent, as the existing stars aged. Plus, not many actors wanted to be playing their squeaky clean 15 year-old characters when they were 23.

"We really don't have a choice, I guess. If that's what you think is best for the direction of the show, then okay," Ross relented.

Laura piped in, "Just don't have either of them cheat on the other one, it's not something they would do."

"No, you are right, Laura, it will be all very innocuous, something related to their emerging careers. But that will open things up for more dramatic range and lots of love ballads, which I'm sure will make great collaborations for you two."

Ross looked at his mom and shrugged, he wasn't psyched about this but he couldn't do anything about it. He was pretty sure Austin and Ally were meant to be together. They were pure and simple and made sense. The audience responded to that. He guessed that there would be hell to pay on social media once people found out.

"Let's talk about something more happy, shall we?" one of the network PR representatives chimed in. "So, I don't know if you guys were aware of this, but the leaked youtube video of the cast dancing and singing along to Taylor Swift just hit 1 million views.

"Really?" Laura asked, mortified that many people had witnessed the spastic limb flailing that she tried to pass off as dancing.

"Really, so we thought we might produce a few more of these little viral videos, of you guys jamming and covering some songs, just as tie ins for promotion. The teen demographic is huge for us, and teens typically don't want to tune in if they think the show is too much for kids. If we do some videos to show that you are all age appropriate teens hanging around and having fun, that will draw more viewers."

The two looked at each other, silently noting the awkwardness. Age appropriate teens? What did that even mean? Laura thought if they really wanted to grab the teen demographic, all they had to do was show Ross shirtless. The guy had a body. She was just sayin'. She had definitely noticed. It was kind of hard not to.

"We will come up with an approved list of songs that you all should think about covering."

"Can we just come up with one on our own? I promise no swearing or sexual references," Ross countered, slightly batting his eyelashes at their PR rep. That puppy dog look worked on females of all ages, and Ross certainly knew how to abuse it. Laura rolled her eyes from across the table.

"Fine. Has to be approved first though. And of course, you both will be attending the upfronts this year in New York. But, we also were able to score a photoshoot with _Seventeen_ magazine, for the cover of their biggest issue of the year, the coveted prom issue."

"Awesome!" Laura shouted, covering her mouth with her hand. Ross cackled at her outburst, drawing a look from his mom.

"It's a big deal, you get to dress up in a bunch of gowns and suits," the PR lady gushed, as the women at the table collectively aww-ed. The men just shrugged, not getting the fuss. Ross was stoked for the photoshoot, but not so much for the monkey suit.

The rest of the dinner went off without too much controversy, although Ross was still bummed about the whole breakup thing. The whole root of the show was their relationship. He trusted that the writers wouldn't violate the foundation of the pairing, but he wished it could just progress rather than regress.

At the end of the night, he gave his mom a kiss before getting into his car. He decided to do some driving around to clear his mind, his favorite pastime, before heading back into the chaos that was his household. He blasted his iPod as loudly as he could tolerate, drowning his thoughts in the music. He winded down Sunset, heading towards the freeway. His iPhone buzzed, signaling a call. He popped his earbud in and answered.

"Hey!" Her sunny voice perked him up.

"Hey, long time no talk."

"Dinner was so weird, right? I can't believe they're breaking us up. Sad face."

"I know, you were my first fake girlfriend. I'll never forget you." She giggled and his heart soared for some reason, probably because he knew there was a finite number of things he would be able to make her laugh like this before they both moved on. Once the show was over, he'd be on tour nonstop with the band. That was the next step in his career, doing the music thing full time. He loved acting, and hoped he could continue it, but his real passion was to be up on stage. They all knew it.

"_I kinda always knew I'd end up your ex-girlfriend_," she sang. "You never forget your first, I guess," she added coyly. He laughed, he loved it when she tried to be all suggestive. It was so totally not her.

"They know what they're doing. The show is called Austin and Ally for a reason. They're not going to rename it Austin and his ex-girlfriend Ally."

"You mean Ally and her ex-boyfriend Austin. She's totally going to dump him, not the other way around."

"What? No way, Austin's definitely going to say he's had enough of pickles, and he needs a girl who's into pancakes, like him," he retorted.

"Ha, well regardless, those crazy kids will find their way back to each other before the end, I just know it. They're MFEO," she stated.

"MFEO?"

"Made for each other. I know you've seen Sleepless in Seattle."

"Oh yeah, the little kid's girlfriend says that about Meg Ryan right? Great movie."

"I know. Hanks and Ryan are so clutch."

"We should go to the top of the Empire State Building when we're in New York. I've never been," he suggested.

"Really? I've done something Ross Lynch hasn't done? I'm shocked. Speaking of New York, that's why I'm calling, did you talk to your mom?"

"Nah, I'm still driving home, I took a little detour and have just been kind of aimlessly driving, thinking about stuff."

"That's really green of you, Ross. I'm proud that you are friends for changing it."

"Yeah, and I'm getting great gas mileage in my vintage ride, about 2 miles per gallon."

"I hope you can hear me rolling my eyes through the phone."

"Hey, I give you rides all the time!" he exclaimed, unintentionally throwing in the double entendre.

She paused a beat before saying, "Anyway, so my mom just told me that they're letting us go to New York by ourselves!"

"What? Really?" Their moms always accompanied them on these trips which made for very awkward fan encounters. It is very strange to have girls profess their love for you and try to slip you hotel keys while your mom is watching.

"Yeah, we're both 18, so I guess they aren't required to come anymore, and she said that they talked and decided that we're both mature enough to go on our own since it's just three days. I really think they're both kind of sick of traveling with us."

"Awesome. We can go out and do whatever we want."

"Ha, I see where they got the part about us being mature all wrong. I can already see the wheels in your head turning. Well, I thought I'd just let you know the good news. I'm exhausted, going to go to bed soon."

"Alright, I'll see you on Monday. Sweet dreams."

He slammed his palm into the steering wheel. Fuck yes, he got to go to New York without a chaperone? Without his family entourage? With just Laura and a few of their handlers? This was possibly the best thing to ever happen. He could not wait.


	4. isn't it messed up?

_A/N: The A&A writers kill me, so my frustration has manifested itself into a new chapter. Does anyone else think R&L probably really, really enjoyed filming that clarinet golf scene and the lingering hug scene? Just me? Okay. Not sure if there's much interest in this story, but as long as they continue to be adorable, I'm going to keep it going…which means you should review and let me know if you like it!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits go to Fall Out Boy, The Black Keys, and Bruno Mars._

_Rating: T for language_

* * *

**Everlong**

4: isn't it messed up how I'm just dying to be him?

_Well I'm so above you_

_And it's plain to see_

_But I came to love you anyway_

_So you pulled my heart out_

_And I don't mind bleeding_

_Any old time you keep me waiting_

_-Lonely Boy, the Black Keys_

Laura couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Nothing could bring her down today. She'd had the most wonderful weekend imaginable and now she got to go to work with the people she adored and basically have fun all day.

She heard the faint strains of piano coming from the practice room set as she walked by. That was weird, Ross must've gotten here early. That was so unlike him. He was typically the one who was always late, plus he took forever to get ready. She listened as he stopped and started a few times, experimenting, trying to figure out the right chords. She recognized the melody, mentally playing along with the keys.

His voice echoed through the empty set, clear and loud. She closed her eyes, absorbing the sound of his voice.

_Oh, her eyes, her eyes_  
_Make the stars look like they're not shinin'_  
_Her hair, her hair_  
_Falls perfectly without her trying_  
_She's so beautiful_  
_And I tell her everyday_

_I know, I know_  
_When I compliment her she won't believe me_  
_And it's so, it's so_  
_Sad to think that she don't see what I see_  
_But every time she asks me "Do I look okay? "_  
_I say_

_When I see your face_  
_There's not a thing that I would change_  
_'Cause you're amazing_  
_Just the way you are_  
_And when you smile_  
_The whole world stops and stares for a while_  
_'Cause girl you're amazing_  
_Just the way you are_

She pushed the door open just a crack, watching him sing with his eyes shut tightly, concentrating on a memory. She admired his passion for music so much. He opened his eyes, seeing her leaning against the doorway and he stopped.

"Don't stop, I love that song," she murmured, mentally kicking herself for interrupting him.

"Hey, what's up," he stated, patting the bench next to him.

She walked over and sat down next to him. "How come you're here so early?"

"I couldn't sleep so I came here to get some peace and quiet. Meditate a little."

"Sorry, I'm interrupting, I can go…" She pushed off the bench, but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her back.

"Stay. Play with me."

"I'd rather hear you sing." He started to play again, but was interrupted by a buzz from her phone.

She flipped it open, her face brightening as she read the text.

"Who's texting you so early, Miss Popular?"

"Jake, the guy I went on a date with on Saturday." He tried to ignore the joyful look on her face. He looked down at his hands, suddenly concentrating very hard on the keys.

"So, I'm taking it went well," he gently pried.

She stared into his eyes, not noticing the cloudiness that had overtaken them. Conversely, he could not ignore her look of pure elation. It slapped him in the face.

"It was the best. We went to the movies and then got ice cream afterwards. He is so cool, and really smart, and so funny. You would really like him."

Ross doubted that. "What'd you see?"

"Iron Man 3, I have to say if George ever turns me down, I think I'd go for Robert Downey, Jr," she sighed.

She continued to chatter on endlessly about every detail of her date. He thought it sounded pretty unimpressive. A movie first date was so pedestrian. You didn't have a chance to make real conversation, there was little opportunity to actually look into your date's eyes and get to know them. It was not that romantic. He could do much better. He would take her on a more interactive date, a big event or doing something outdoorsy. A movie date was much more appropriate for the second or third date, when you wanted that intimate setting. And he would take her to something much more romantic or even scary so that she would snuggle up. Or maybe he would snuggle up; he hated horror flicks. Either way, this guy was obviously a rookie, which was somewhat comforting to Ross.

Actually, either way, it did not matter because he and Laura were not dating, but that was beside the point. She had finished her story, leaving him hanging at the most important part.

"Well did you kiss him?" he asked, pouring salt into the open wound of his soul. He didn't understand why he even asked, but it was like a need. He had to know. God, he was turning into a masochist.

Her eyes bugged out. "Ross! A girl doesn't kiss and tell."

"So you did or else you would've just said no," he deduced. His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. "Laura Marano, you little vixen. Acting all innocent on the outside…"

Her cheeks were beet red by this point, and that was her tell. "Okay, Sherlock Holmes…"

"Jeez, you do have RDJ on the brain. So, how was it?" She glared at him in shock. "It's okay, you can tell me, I won't tell him. Was I better? I was better, wasn't I?" he teased.

"Oh my god, we're not talking about this," she shook her head, blushing furiously.

"Don't be embarrassed. You want me to tell you one of my hookup stories first?"

"Please don't. I don't want to feel more inadequate when compared to your adventures."

"Well, just don't give it up too soon, you have to earn his respect," he said half mockingly. She rolled her eyes, sinking his heart even further into the ground.

"What should I write back? I really like him, but I don't know what to say. You're really good at expressing your feelings and you're a guy, what should I say?"

He exhaled softly. He wasn't as good at expressing his feelings as she thought. "Just tell him that. Tell him you had a great time and that you can't wait to do it again. I'm sure he feels the same way. He'd be a fool not to."

"Ross, that's so nice, see you _are_ such a sweetheart." She bumped her shoulder against his, yet another playful gesture amongst the millions of little touches, little glances, little nudges they shared. He had spent so much time convincing himself that those little things meant nothing, trying to ignore the glaring fact that they did.

She continued her barrage of double-edged compliments, "You're such a great friend, thanks for listening." Her words were like daggers to his chest, but her happiness would always be priority number one for him. Even if that happiness was at his expense.

She bit her lip as she texted back. Her brow was furrowed, but her eyes sparkled. He swallowed hard watching her. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that she would never react that way when texting him. The thought of that made his heart ache, even though he wasn't completely sure why.

* * *

He poked at her arm, flicking her to get her attention while she was talking to Raini.

"Ross!" she whined. Raini gave him a weird look.

"Sorry, pay attention to me and I won't bother you," he mimicked her tone.

"Oh my god, you are a child. Do you need something?"

"No. I'm just restless."

"Jeez Ross, did you not take your meds this morning, or what?" Raini teased.

He ignored her, continuing to flip Laura's hair with his fingers.

"Ow, pick on someone your own size," the brunette warned, her face wrinkled.

"But you're more fun." He gave her shoulders a little rub kneading the little knots at the small of her neck.

She leaned into the massage, enjoying the smoothing motion. Raini just looked at the both of them with a quizzical expression on her face. "How many cups of coffee did you drink today?" Laura murmured.

"Like three already."

"Yeah, you should stop."

"Yeah, stop so Laura can tell me about the rest of her conversation," Raini directed.

He rolled his eyes, "I've already heard this." That's all Laura could talk about for the past few days. Jake this, Jake that. It would be different if the guy was interesting, but he was so not. At least not to Ross. He wondered if the girls he hung out with made as big of a deal of EVERY LITTLE WORD HE TEXTED or the length of time between texts. Because that's totally what Laura was doing, dissecting every last syllable Jake uttered. And she would freak out if he didn't respond within a few hours. Like, what if the guy was busy or if he forgot to write back? That happened all the time. Girls were such head cases. Guys did not even think about any of this shit. Like, not at all.

Although, _he_ always got back to Laura in a timely manner.

"Well then stop listening to our conversation," Raini retorted.

The two girls giggled as Laura recounted every detail with Jake for like the third time that day. He got that she was so excited, but seriously this guy wasn't anything to write home about. He sounded lame and that lucky bastard still got a kiss at the end of their first date. He was a little surprised by her at that. It took her forever to even be comfortable kissing him (and they had known about it for months), and then she just jumps this guy? What was that about?

They, or rather, he was watching the dailies from the show. He had noticed, which meant that their directors and producers would probably notice that it wasn't his finest work. It seemed like he was staring at her in every scene. The script did not call for that. He was clearly distracted and he hoped that the editors could do some magic to correct his poor performance.

They all approached the stage for their curtain call. They were finally done shooting for the week and he couldn't be happier. He had an interview on Radio Disney and some promotional photo shoots with his family, but other than that he could decompress away from all of this. He needed some time away from the set, away from Austin, and definitely away from Ally.

The crowd cat-called as each cast member's name was announced. They each stepped out from backstage to greet the studio audience. He was always last, and when they called his name, he skipped out towards her. He grabbed her hand, like any other day, but somehow today felt different. His hand encapsulated her tiny one and he gave it a little squeeze as they took their bows.

"WE LOVE YOU RAURA!" A chorus of high pitched squeals broke the sound barrier as the cast and crew all chuckled at the enthusiasm of their fans. She squeezed his hand a little tighter, the laugh lines crinkling around her eyes.

Laura laughed like she always did when someone would bring up their "shipper" name. She thought it was so funny how the fans wanted them to be together.

Yeah, Ross thought it was real hilarious.

"KISS HER!" another fan yelled, causing Laura's face to turn bright pink. Calum made a little heart sign out of his hands as Ross rolled his eyes. The crowd continued to whistle and cheer, and he held up his hands in surrender.

He grabbed Laura's thin wrist and pulled her towards him, bridging the gap between them. She let out a squeak at the unexpected move. What was he planning to do in front of all these people? He leaned in slowly…then broke at the last second.

"Nah, not here, guys. Sorry. You gotta watch the upcoming episodes for that," he grinned slyly. He winked towards the direction of the fan as the audience whooped. Every female in the vicinity let out the breaths they were holding, including Laura.

She nervously laughed at his attempt to save them from the awkward situation. She loosened his grip on her arm, looking up at him with shining eyes. It was his turn to deeply exhale as he felt his heart ache at her perfection. Even though he was just playing for the audience, he really had wanted to kiss her. So everyone could see what he felt, so that there could be witnesses. What was going on with him? His insides felt like a crumpled up piece of paper that could never be smoothed out to its original untouched form again. And all because of Laura. He was royally fucked. What had he done?


	5. i don't think you're right for him

_A/N: Calum wisdom, jealous Ross, hot Laura, a little bit of everything in this chapter. Enjoy and review!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits go to the Lumineers and the La's._

_Rating: T for language_

* * *

**Everlong**

5: I don't think you're right for him

_There she goes,_

_There she goes again,_

_Racing through my veins,_

_And I just can't contain this feeling that remains_

_-There She Goes, The La's_

He plucked the guitar strings absentmindedly, working on a melody he'd had in his head all day.

"Hey, what's up man, wanna grab some In-n-Out after we get done?" Calum popped into his dressing room.

"Can't, promised my mom I'd be around tonight. Next time."

The redhead plopped himself down on the couch. "Are we gonna talk about what was up today?"

"What do you mean?" Ross looked up at him, still strumming the guitar.

"You just seemed out of it."

"I did?" he asked casually.

Calum pursed his lips in disapproval. "Seriously, dude, are we gonna play it like this?"

Ross thought about denying for a second before relenting. "Okay, I was distracted. I've just felt kind of weird lately."

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. I seriously think I'm bummed about Austin and Ally breaking up," the blonde admitted.

"Oh, so you ship Auslly, too?" Calum deadpanned.

Ross held up his middle finger. "Shut up."

"What, are you bummed that your characters are moving on or that your co-star is?"

"What are you talking about?" Ross stated, his defenses up.

"Well, Laura's been talking about this guy nonstop for like the entire week. I'm sick of hearing about it, I can't imagine how you feel."

"Why would I feel any different from what you feel?" he retorted.

Calum opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated before weakly offering, "Because you guys are like super close."

"So…"

"Well, I'm not saying this is you, but when two people are that close, sometimes feelings can develop," Calum suggested.

Ross shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You too, man? Come on. I'm not into her that way, you know that." It was like a broken record, he was almost too tired to fight back.

"Yeah, but haven't you noticed the way you've been teasing her more, finding any excuse to touch her or play with her hair? I agree that you may have kept it on a friendly level before, but now you've taken it to the next level. This is directly correlated to when she started hanging out with this guy. And I think it's because you're a little jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Ross insisted, putting his guitar down. He busied his hands by gathering his things, but he really wanted to punch the wall.

"You're practically Kermit, you're so green. You were like seriously attached at her hip today. I thought you were going to follow her into the bathroom."

"That's not true. Can't a guy be friends with his co-star and not get shit from everyone?"

"Yeah, he totally can. I am totally friends with both Raini and Laura, but you don't see me touching on them all the time," Calum pointed out.

He maintained, "I don't touch her all the time."

"Okay, I'm not going to turn into one of your rabid Raura fans, but you give her little massages, you are always grabbing her hands, or putting your arms around her. Plus you're like always stuntin' and trying to impress her."

"Dude, don't say stuntin' again. It's not you, we both know it," Ross replied dryly.

"Anyway, this is in the public eye. They don't even see the stuff behind the scenes. These are things that are indicative, whether or not you mean it in a more than friendly way or not."

"I spend a lot of time with Laura and Raini. I do the same things to both of them."

"Yeah, but you're photographed doing them more with Laura. Remember all the fallout from the appearance you guys did in Tennessee last year?"

Ross remembered how all the fangirls reacted to them taking pictures with fans. So what if he had his arms around her, hugged her, or touched her hands? How else are you supposed to take pictures? Those were like natural poses.

"We're a duo. Austin and Ally. It's inherent that we're together for the sake of our jobs. If they sent me and you to Australia, we would have done some of those same photo ops."

"Okay I hope not, because I'm not going to be jumping around bouncing a beach ball to you. And I hope you wouldn't be eye fucking the shit out of me while I do it. I love you, man, but even that's a little crossing the line."

"First of all, she was wearing _the_ _outfit_." Every guy knew of _the outfit_, and it was an unspoken rule that no one would talk about it. "You would've eyefucked the shit of her, too. Every guy on set was. Secondly, fuck you."

"Ooh, burn. Fine, maybe you're not into her that way, but you are still jealous of this other guy. You're afraid of losing her to him. She's one of your closest girl friends, and now she's got someone else she's focused on."

"And how do you know all this, _Love Whisperer?_" Ross asked testily.

"I've been friends with a lot of girls in my day. And most of the time, if we're totally platonic, there's boundaries that are understood by both parties."

Ross opened his mouth to protest, but Calum continued. "Not because you don't want to or because it's weird, but because of what others think. If I am friends with a girl, I can't be hanging all over her, especially if she's dating some other dude. That's just Bro Code, man. Also, I don't randomly grab a girl's hand when we're not dating. That's like intimate. It sends her the wrong signal."

"So I'm not supposed to touch her or look at her at all," Ross griped.

"I didn't say that."

"I don't get what the big deal is. She doesn't feel that way, she knows it's all friendly, so whatever."

"I'm just saying, back off a little. You know all the Raura stuff makes her feel a little uncomfortable, and while she's dating this guy, I think you back off a little bit. That way you really do show her that you are her friend, and that you're there for her. Just consider it, friendly advice." Calum lead the way out to set as Ross dutifully followed behind.

He had thought about this a lot since the other night. He got caught in the moment. He didn't have outright feelings for his co-star. They were practically family. They were super close friends. He cared about her a lot. That was it. He wouldn't hate it if they hooked up because she was hot, but he thought that about a lot of girls. Like, a lot of girls. He literally thought about sex 90% of the day. The other 10% was reserved for food and music. And he'd never considered actually dating her. Like as his girlfriend. She was just Laura.

That would be totally weird. He knew she felt the same way, too. It's not like she felt like he was leading her on. He'd stop if it ever got to that point, he would never play with her feelings. But, it was a two way street, their relationship. He hadn't been friends with that many girls over the years, having been surrounded by mostly boys, but he thought this was completely normal. Of course he cared about who she dated, he only wanted the best for her. He watched out for her. Guys could be total dogs and he didn't want anyone to take advantage of her naïveté. That was all, no other hidden agenda or intentions from his side. It was most certainly possible to be platonic friends with a girl, wasn't it?

"This is the perfect song, Ross. The fans are going to go apeshit," Calum changed the subject, taking a seat behind a drum kit that had been set up on stage.

"I know, I was listening to it all the time on tour and it's so catchy and the instrumentals are so complex with the harmonizing. It's such a popular song too, so people will know it. It's totally G-rated, so we don't have to worry about network people breathing down our backs about it."

Calum let out a low whistle as Laura emerged from wardrobe, wearing a tight floral top and the shortest shorts he had ever seen on her. Shorter than the Australia shorts. Almost the entire lengths of her legs were exposed, even more accentuated by the ridiculously tall tan platform sandals she wore. He willed himself to not look at her crotch. He wanted to cover her up with a blanket, but yet still burn her image in his memory for use later.

"Whoa, who wears short shorts, Laura wears short shorts," Calum sang, earning a playful punch from their costar. "You have the tiniest little fists, so cute when you try to fight." She punched him harder, and he rubbed his arm.

Laura cleared her throat, she had noticed him staring. Calum interjected, whilst kicking Ross's foot to get him to stop creeping on her. "Laura, are you a parking ticket? Cause you got FINE written all over you…"

Ross rolled his eyes at the cheesy pickup line. Laura instinctively covered her legs with her hands. "Is it too much? I feel self-conscious. I'm gonna go have them put me in something else…" she started.

"No, it looks great, doesn't it Ross?" Calum goaded, pulling her arm back.

He was still utterly at a loss for words. The only words coming to mind were milky, creamy, flesh, thighs, ass, and other words he could not mention on a Disney set. He just nodded, painfully. He picked up his guitar and slung the strap over his head, intentionally covering his nethers, just in case. He could get aroused in the most inopportune of times. He would never hear the end of it if that were to happen.

_Focus, Ross. Stop looking at her legs. Look at her chest. I mean, don't look at anything._

"Well, I'm a little nervous, Jake's visiting today. He'll be out in a few minutes. I want everything to go well, which means I don't want you two to do anything embarrassing."

Ross rolled his eyes again. Jake. Duke boy, Laura's new _boyfriend_. A label he thought was a little premature. They'd only been dating for like three weeks. Big whoop. He had used gym clothes in his car older than that. And what kind of name was Jake? Super boring, unoriginal and vanilla. That guy was in high school. Ross had already graduated early, was a recording artist, and he toured the country. What had Jake done?

Besides make out with Laura and get to touch her hair all the time. Well, Ross had done that too, but in front of like a hundred people, on camera, as a part of his job.

"Us, do something embarrassing? Do you know who you are talking to?" Calum scoffed.

"Yes, that's why I'm asking you to be normal. Love you, but do not give him a hard time," she warned, her finger poking into the taller boy's chest.

Raini walked out from her dressing room and let out a whistle. "Look at you, Miss Marano, Hottie McHottie pants. Who are you showing off for?"

Laura smirked, "Jake's coming to set." She twisted her hair around her finger with a shy smile playing across her lips.

"What? Ally's not just sexing it up for Austin? Well no wonder they're breaking up. Poor Austin's forever getting cockblocked," Ross sniffed, his envy very thinly veiled. Good thing she was not good at picking up hints. Unfortunately, Raini and Calum were very attuned to such signs. They shared a Trish/Dez look of knowing.

"Ready for our impromptu jam session guys?" their director asked, having them take their marks.

"It's not really impromptu if it's completely contrived, right?" Ross asked, being the smart alec he was.

"Funny, Ross. Take your places, guys. Ross, move your guitar a little bit lower. Raini, move just a bit to the left. Wait, why don't you just sit on the edge of the couch there, good. Looks more natural."

The production assistant fiddled with their clothes and hair. A few of the other cast and crew members meandered out to watch the video take form. Laura waved at Jake, her face aglow at the sight of him hanging in the background. Ross fought the urge to gag. The PA scooted Laura over towards Ross, so that she was practically sitting on his lap.

They were sitting around the "outdoor" mall set, with paper lanterns strung up from a prior scene they'd shot. The lights were dimmed, the mood was intimate. Ross couldn't have set up a more perfect backdrop for the song he'd chosen. He was just glad everyone else was in agreement that this was the song they should cover.

"In three, two, one action." Their director pointed as the actors started singing and tapping their feet. Ross started to strum softly. Raini and Laura tapped their tambourines in time with the lyrics.

_Ho! Hey!_

_(Ho!) I've been trying to do it right_  
_(Hey!) I've been living a lonely life_  
_(Ho!) I've been sleeping here instead_  
_(Hey!) I've been sleeping in my bed,_  
_(Ho!) I've been sleeping in my bed_  
_(Hey!)_

His clear voice carried through the empty set, it was chilling to hear it so raw, the intonation perfect. The three others started to clap in time.

_(Ho!) So show me family_  
_(Hey!) All the blood that I would bleed_  
_(Ho!) I don't know where I belong_  
_(Hey!) I don't know where I went wrong_  
_(Ho!) But I can write a song_  
_(Hey!)_

He stood, spinning around, playing the sweet melody, leaning into to harmonize the last lyric of that verse with Laura.

Calum counted out and strummed the banjo, joining the melody. Their growing audience started singing and clapping in time, creating an acoustic dream.

_1, 2, 3_  
_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart_  
_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet_  
_(Ho!)_

Ross took Laura's hand as one of the studio musicians took over on guitar. He spun her around, singing the lyrics to her. His brown eyes sparkled as they bored into hers. The intensity of the way he looked at her was apparent to the entire audience. He danced around her, taking her hand and bringing her close.

_(Hey!)_  
_(Ho!)_  
_(Hey!)_

_(Ho!) I don't think you're right for him_  
_(Hey!) Look at what it might have been if you_  
_(Ho!) Took a bus to China Town_  
_(Hey!) I'd be standing on Canal_  
_(Ho!) And Bowery_  
_(Hey!)_  
_(Ho!) And she'd be standing next to me_  
_(Hey!)_

He pointed to her, and then to himself as he sang the words to her. Raini grinned, her head moving back and forth. Calum kept time, strumming away on the banjo.

_1, 2, 3_  
_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart_  
_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart_

_Love ‒ we need it now_  
_Let's hope for some_  
_So, we're bleeding out_

Their foreheads grazed as he continued to direct the words to only her. Sometimes when they were filming the musical numbers on the show, he forgot there was anyone else around. He was in his own little world and only she was allowed to enter. Her lips curled into a Mona Lisa smile.

_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart_  
_I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet_  
_(Ho!)_

_(Hey!)_  
_(Ho!)_  
_(The last one)_  
_(Hey!)_

Everyone erupted in applause as the director yelled, "Cut! That was amazing, and in one take, why can't we do that on every scene guys?"

He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug, rocking back and forth. Calum gave him a pat on the back and Raini reached out for a high five. He fought to catch his breath, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Laura broke the hug, darting off the stage. Moments later, she returned, pulling a lanky blonde in to meet her castmates. Ross gave him a once over, just as he suspected, preppy douche in a polo and khaki shorts. He had a strong jawline and spiky hair, but he looked pretty average.

"Jake, I want you to meet Ross and Calum," she nervously introduced the three. She ran off to find Raini, the one who could diffuse the situation if needed.

Calum reached his hand out first and shook Jake's before Ross did. The guy had a strong handshake; he would give him that.

_Be a dick, be a dick, _Ross chanted in his head.

"Nice to meet you, man," Calum greeted, ever the ambassador for their group.

Ross gave him a head nod. "Heard lots about you, dude."

"Yeah, I've heard a lot about you guys, too. It's nice to met Laura's pretend boyfriend," he chuckled softly and Ross wanted to kick him in the nuts.

Calum snickered getting an elbow from Ross.

"That was a cool cover you guys did, Laura never told me that you actually really play instruments," Jake added. Ross glared silently.

Calum cut in before Ross could answer, "It's for a promotional thing, they have been really popular videos."

"Well, ready to go?" Laura appeared with Raini at her side. Both girls smiled widely, Laura pulling on Jake's arm. Ross stood, his chest slightly puffed forward, although he didn't really know why. He just felt defensive all the sudden.

"Well, it was nice meeting you guys," the other boy stated. Laura dragged him off before anyone could say or do anything regrettable.

"Douche," Ross muttered to himself.

"What?" Calum asked.

"Nothing."

"You called him a douche. I heard you, I have bionic hearing. All gingers do."

"Not true at all," Ross refuted.

"Besides the point. Do you actually have a problem with him or is it just because he's dating Laura?"

"I don't have a problem with him, he just seems a little sketch."

"What about his Brooks Brothers wardrobe says that he's sketch?"

"That's exactly it, you can't trust a guy who wears that shit in a nonironic way at the age of 18," he explained.

The redhead shook his head. "_Oh_ okay, that makes a lot of sense. Well, she seems happy."

"I'm happy for her. Nice to meet her pretend boyfriend," he repeated sarcastically.

Calum nodded, "Yes, you are showing just how happy you are. Hashtag jealous."

"Whatever, dude," he replied, dismissing his friend.

He wasn't jealous. It's just that in his opinion, Laura could do better. Much better.

* * *

A/N: Review, you know you want to...


	6. every little thing

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews and feedback! There hasn't been too much excitement on the Raura front, so I had a lot of writer's block with this chapter. The timeline is obviously skewed with some of the facts, and don't hate me too much for including one of the characters. Hopefully updates will come a little more quickly after this chapter though along with some better A&A episodes. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing ,__not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to the Police and Bruno Mars_

_Rating: T for language and content_

* * *

**Everlong**

6: every little thing

_Though I've tried before to tell her_

_Of the feelings I have for her in my heart_

_Every time that I come near her_

_I just lose my nerve as I've done from the start_

-Every little thing she does is magic, The Police

He knocked on her dressing room, the door cracking open with the force of his knock. He watched as she pranced around, shaking her little butt, dancing to Bruno Mars playing from her iPod. He stifled a laugh as she imitated the falsetto in the song, swinging her hips back and forth and twisting her head to and fro. She was wearing a ridiculous kitten get up for the next scene they were filming. Ridiculous that they would let her wear that costume on this network because she looked way too hot. It was a new definition for him of the term sex kitten.

His voice rang out as he sang along with the lyrics, "Cause your sex takes me to paradise, yeah your sex takes me to paradise…"

She turned and let out a squeal as she spied him watching her. She threw a pillow at him, which he dodged artfully. His mouth dropped open as he shook his head slowly.

"Hey! Is that any way to treat your favorite person?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Right, I'll throw something harder that will leave a mark next time. Can you knock? What if I was changing?" she complained in jest, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, you don't look threatening like that. Especially not dressed up like a sweet little pussycat." She narrowed her eyes. "And if you were changing, then I definitely wouldn't knock and I would continue to enjoy the show. Although I enjoyed that little show very, very much."

She stuck out her tongue. "I hate you."

"Yeah no, you actually love me. But you can keep trying to pretend."

"Did you need something?" she stated, ignoring his comment.

"I'm coming to get you for our scene, your highness." He motioned for her to walk before him. His eyes immediately trained themselves on her backside and he mentally scolded himself. He had to stop this creepster stuff, or at least become a little more subtle about it.

He didn't know what was up. He was like raging on the inside lately, like a livewire, ready to basically burst from a huge amount of pent up sexual energy. He was anxious and impatient and it was mostly her fault. She had to dance around all sexy in her little outfits, with her cute little face, which wasn't much different from usual, but he didn't have an outlet. He blamed it on not being on the road. If he did shows, his hormones were usually depleted on stage, as he could hump his guitar or mike stand every night. Now that he couldn't do that, he felt the aggression building up. New Ross was about to jump down everyone's throat. Well, everyone except Laura, the cause of all of this frustration.

It was kind of weird to think of her that way. He had appreciated her body, like he appreciated most every girl's, but this was taking it to another level. He had to admit that. It wasn't an altogether a completely repulsive thought, but weird nonetheless.

He would never tell her this, of course.

He could just imagine the look on her face if he told her, "Hey, Laura sometimes I picture you naked underneath me." She would be horrified. So horrified that she might not ever talk to him again.

She was too enamored with her boyfriend anyway. He did not get it. He didn't want to be that friend who passed judgment and had all sorts of opinions on his friends' relationships. But he did and he felt like she was way too good for that guy, and there were a million reasons why they shouldn't be together. One of those reasons was that he thought she should be with him. He wasn't going to say that to her ever, because even though he was like busting at the seams, new Ross was some sort of chicken shit.

He didn't know what it was, but as soon as he had met Jake, it's like something in his head clicked and he couldn't stop thinking about her. About her and himself. It was so true that you didn't know what you got 'til it's gone. Before Ross had met Jake their relationship wasn't real in his mind, but after meeting that d-bag, it was laid out in front of him. He and his co-star enjoyed flirtations in the past, they were close, maybe too close. He was too much of an idiot to see that. Now that she was spending her time with Jake, he missed just being _them._ He hated that he wasn't the first person she would text with a problem, that he was being replaced. He was borderline obsessed, and it was slowly killing him because she was borderline obsessed with Jake. Every date, every detail stabbed him and twisted the knife another turn.

He hated to admit defeat to Calum, but as usual, Calum was right. He was afraid of losing her. Yes, Calum had given him shit about it continuously for the past week. Yes, he was jealous of her assface preppy boyfriend and the fact that they were doing stuff that he could only dream about doing with her. God, could he be more pathetic?

Actually, yes he could because now every opportunity he had, he was grasping at any chance to get her attention and make her stay.

It was hard to do that when she seemed so happy though. He would never do anything to jeopardize that, even if it meant he had to stand by and wait for her. He was pretty damn sure he could make her happy, too. He just needed a shot.

She walked out and shut the door, leading him out to set. "What are you doing this weekend?"

"Not much, hanging with my family mostly. I have that promo thing at Disneyland tomorrow afternoon."

"Ooh, lucky. I haven't been there in ages. I think the last time was with Raini and Rico."

"Come along," he suggested, helping her up the steps. They could ride all the rides, share a frozen banana, eat dinner at Club 33. It would be the perfect date. Much better than a stupid movie.

She turned and placed her hands on her hips, looking up at him from under her long fluttery lashes.

"Are you kidding? Do you want to start a riot online or something? You like playing with fire, but I don't."

"You have to give the people what they want. You gotta tease 'em a little bit, it keeps things interesting and shows that you have a sense of humor about it," he smirked. "What, are you scared they're going to think we're a real couple?"

She snickered, making his heart ache just that much more. "No, I'm scared of the inevitable backlash. As much as I love reading about how I'm so not good enough for you, I'd rather just stay out of it."

He grabbed her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I seriously hope you don't believe all that shit because if anyone isn't good enough for the other, it's me."

"Aww, look at you, nice guy. I know people are just jealous and I don't read that much into it. Just don't like the negativity, you know? Not when everything is going so well right now. And can you imagine if I had to explain this all to Jake? Anyway, why are we even talking about this like it's a real thing? We're not a couple, so it shouldn't matter."

"Right, should not matter." He shuffled his feet around.

They took their marks as the assistants set up the shots, adjusting the actors, the lighting, and the sound boom.

"Anyway, I'm hanging out with Vanessa tomorrow. We're trying this new yoga class."

The thought of her stretching and bending over made him glad for the fact that he was sitting down. He needed to take a cold shower or something. There was something seriously wrong with him; he was a mess. And when he felt like a mess around Laura, he reacted in the only way possible, with deflection and bravado.

"How is your very sexy sister doing anyway?" he winked.

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "You are relentless. And she is way out of your league."

At first Laura had been a little annoyed at his little crush on her sister. Then she realized that he did it more to annoy her. He wasn't even sure that it reflected his actual feelings. Not that she would blame him though, Vanessa was way hotter than her. Laura always felt the part of the dorky little sister when she stood next to her older sibling. Everyone felt a little more average next to Vanessa. She had been blessed with huge boobs, flawless skin, and like the perfect cool girl personality, and Laura had always wished to be more like her. She would not be surprised at all if Vanessa was his crush, since he was always so secretive about who it really was.

He clutched his chest. "That hurts, Laura. It really stings that you don't approve of your sister's and my relationship."

"Your one sided relationship. That you've created in your mind." Her lips puckered and she scrunched her nose at him.

He leaned in and mirrored her face. "She'll give in, one of these days. I can be very persuasive." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger against her cheek.

"Yeah, keep holding your breath, she'd like that."

"You're so mean, I thought we were friends. If you don't approve, how will I ever win over your Dad?" he asked, half joking. The makeup people descended upon the both of them, giving them touch ups and testing the light.

"Ooh, well, that'll be a tough one. Not sure if that's ever gonna happen." Even Laura knew, and found it funny, that Ross was so intimidated by her father. Her dad was super protective of his two daughters and made any guy, even her best friend squirm.

"First you turn me down when I ask you to come to Disneyland, and now your sister is off limits? You are breaking my heart today," he sighed, the truth hidden deep in his words.

She punched him in the arm. "Oh, what else is new, Drama queen."

What else is new indeed, Ross thought.

Their director waved his hand in front of the two, pulling them back to reality. "Ready guys?" Both actors nodded as the slate was clapped. "Action."

They sat side by side, legs touching as they played the piano. Their hands briefly met in the middle with a spark of electricity, and they both stopped, letting their hands drop from the keys. She looked up at him, her eyes boring into his soul. He closed his eyes and leaned towards her, their lips just inches away from each other. He could feel her breath hitch as he approached. Even closer.

Calum burst through the door with Raini close behind, reciting their lines and pulling Laura up off the piano bench. They all interacted through the scene as he watched from his perch on the bench. He tried to portray the excited, interested look that Austin always wore on his face, even though if it were anything like real life, Austin would have pushed Trish and Dez out to complete what he had started with Ally. But yet, it was a Disney show full of cockblocks. The writers had been doing this bait and pull thing with Austin and Ally as they neared their breakup. It would drive the fans mad.

He certainly knew how it made him feel.

"Cut, let's move to the Sonic Boom set," their director called out.

Ross stayed put on the piano bench, tinkling a few chords as Laura got a makeup touch up in front of him. She and Raini were giggling at something on Raini's phone. He was a little sad that she didn't even take his invitation to go to the promo event tomorrow seriously. That was the problem with their relationship. They had known each other for several years now, and were so comfortable that everything he said or did that was actually for real, she thought was just a joke.

He had started to subconsciously play the familiar melody to _I think about you_. Eric, their director, continued to focus on Ross, testing the next shot as his actor played the piano.

"Great song, Ross!" Laura encouraged as they fussed with her hair. His face lit up at the sound of her voice as he continued to stare at her. Unbeknownst to him, all of this was caught on camera proving to everyone around him what they all already knew.

The kid had it bad, and he didn't even know had bad he had it.

* * *

Ross impatiently tapped his foot as the crowd screamed around him. He was standing out in the full exposure of the sun, wearing a leather jacket, and he was sweating his balls off.

He was antsy, everyone could see. They were taking forever to shoot these Disney Channel 365 promos. What was promised to be a simple morning shoot was turning into an entire daylong event. Take after take, how many more would he have to do?

It's not like he was ungrateful, he wasn't the type to bite the hand that fed him, but he was an emerging artist, he felt a little cuckolded with the whole Disney promoting machine. They told him what to do, what the say, where to go. What to wear apparently, because it wasn't his choice to wear a leather jacket in 80 degree Southern California.

All of these promos were pretty much scripted to the last T. It was all smiles and cheerfulness. They couldn't risk any of their precious stars saying something out of whack to bring any negative publicity. Which is why it was always so shocking and hilarious to see their little starlets get caught up in scandals and such. He could see how people could get frustrated with the squeaky clean image though, right now he was about ready to scream.

He stood next to his friend Maia and listened as she prattled on to the reporter about her latest gig. Try as he might, but he could not be interested in what she had to say. Well, he had been, at the beginning of the longest day ever, but he'd heard all about it times ten. They got along great, sharing the same dark sense of humor and she was super fun, but he was sort of over everything right now.

He pulled out his phone and snapped a shot of himself on stage right outside of the Peter Pan ride. He quickly sent it to her with a corny joke. It made him happy knowing that she would be laughing on the other end on her antiquated phone.

_Where did Captain Hook get a replacement hook for his hand?_

_Where?_

_At the second hand store._

_LOL, you are just full of puns. How's Disneyland, I'm so jealous. _

_It's great, wish you guys were here with me._

_It looks like such a great crowd. Are you okay?_

_Yeah, why?_

_Your last tweet was all emo and cryptic._

_I'm fine, just feeling nostalgic last night._

His heart skipped a beat, knowing that she had noticed. It was stupid, but it felt like a small victory. He'd tweeted a lyric to an old Bruce Springsteen song. He did have to admit, it was super emo of him, but he had spent last night looking through old pictures of their trip to Australia, knowing that she had been out with her boyfriend while he was alone. He couldn't help but put it out there. And she had seen it.

He motioned to his publicist and hopped off stage. It was alone time. The camera crew followed as he wandered all over the park, riding the Matterhorn, getting some Mouse Ears, grabbing some snacks. When he returned and got weird looks from both the interviewer and from Maia, he just shrugged. What was so weird about wanting to explore Disneyland alone while they talked? He didn't have anything else to contribute.

"Earth to Ross." She snapped her fingers in his face. They had one last break before the last shot. "What was that about?"

"What was what about?" he asked.

"You totally left me in the middle of the interview, partner," her accent pronounced.

"Oh, well you guys were super into it. And I was not. Sorry." He looked down at his phone again, but no more messages.

"You're totally not paying attention."

He looked at her, exasperated. "Sorry. This is getting a little boring. I feel like we've been doing this forever. I can only smile so much in a day."

"We're almost done. What's up, you've been distracted all day."

"Tired. Shot a full day yesterday, early wake up call this morning. The usual. No one ever tells you that waking up early is a prerequisite for this job."

"It's more than that, I can tell. Is it girl troubles?" she questioned.

"Ross Lynch does not have troubles with girls," he stated firmly.

"Yeah, he apparently doesn't have troubles with confidence either."

They showed a clip of Austin and Ally on the projection screen behind them as the audience roared. She watched as he stared up at the screen, watching the scene as a montage of clips of he and Laura as Friends for Change ambassadors played. His full attention was directed on the screen and she felt a little twinge of envy. She knew Ross well enough from spending weeks with him shooting. He didn't pay attention during today's interview because he didn't care enough to. But when the right subject, or person, caught his eye, he always felt more than he cared to admit. And it was always written all over his face.

"Is it me?" she asked.

"Oh, now who has no lack of confidence? Maia, hate to tell ya, but not everything is about you," he teased.

"I mean, it just seems like if you were paired with someone else, you'd be much more engaged and interested in the interview. Does it have anything to do with your co-star?"

"Am I like wearing a sign around my neck that says something?" he sighed.

She smirked, "Ah, so I take it I'm not the first person who has suggested this?"

"You are not," he replied.

"Well, it's not plainly obvious, but I'm a girl, we pick up on these kind of things."

"Not all girls are quite as all knowing as you," he muttered.

"Does she not feel the same way? It seems like she cares about you a great deal, too."

"She has a boyfriend."

"Well a little friendly advice. Wait for her, be her friend, continue on like things are normal and when the time is right, things will all work out the way they are supposed to."

"Thanks." He bowed his head down, trying to ignore the fact that she sounded like she was speaking from more experience than he cared to admit to knowing.

* * *

A/N: An end note, I wrote the Disney 365 interview thing into the story because I thought it was such a weird interaction. I'm fairly indifferent to Maia, but did anyone else notice that? He like totally left them and went off on his own and it just seemed super awkward. I have a pretty good imagination, so maybe it's all me, but I don't think so :) Review!


	7. i want you to notice when i'm not around

_A/N: So, I posted this story last week saying there wasn't much Raura happening, and then that same night the whole universe explodes with the R5 concert and then her prom and it's just too much stimulation at once :). _

_As far as people asking if this will take a more mature turn, maybe, depending on how the course runs, but if not, I'll probably write a little alternate one shot. Review and let me know what you think, if you ask, you shall probably receive._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing ,not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Radiohead and Nada Surf._

_Rating: T for language and content_

* * *

**Everlong**

7: I want you to notice when I'm not around

_I'm on the outside of love_  
_Always under or above_  
_Must be a different view_  
_To be a me with a you_

_-Inside of Love, Nada Surf_

Ross was in a foul mood. He'd been bumming around all week, not feeling like going out with his brothers, hanging with his sister or doing anything really.

It's not like he was Mr. Social all the time anyway. Seriously, he was always with his family or by himself; that was the way he preferred it. He couldn't be high-energy guy all the time. He had a few close family friends, and people he knew from work, but he never did the whole teenage thing, hanging out at the mall or whatever. He'd been doing the show business thing for a long time, having not gone to a real school in years. He didn't have classmates to hang out with after school; he'd never been invited to a school dance. And sometimes he just wanted to read a book, for fucks sake. He couldn't even do that without having a straight up interrogation.

He guessed it was a little weird though. He was 18 and he'd never even been on a real date. He'd done lots of stuff with plenty of girls but it was all super casual, no one he ever thought about asking out. He was a little old fashioned about everything anyway, choosing to believe in the whole romance thing. He hadn't found anyone worth it just yet…well, maybe one person, but someone else had gotten to her first. So here he was, alone on a Friday night, left to his own devices and his overactive imagination.

It was probably strange that he'd rather spend a Friday night at home with his family rather than out with peers his age. He could go hang out with Calum, but he was probably out with whatever girl of the moment he was dating. He always got a bunch of texts from random girls he'd met here and there, but he didn't feel like it was worth the effort tonight. And he had texted Laura, but she hadn't written back.

_Why couldn't the mathematician get a loan?_

He hadn't heard from her in awhile, but he'd seen some of her classmates posting pictures of her on twitter. And apparently she had been hanging out with Calum without him also. And she had done an appearance with the guys from _Shake It Up_ recently. He was not stalking her account or anything, he'd just been curious as to what she had been up to. He knew it was most likely nothing, but she always radiated happiness and sometimes guys mistook that for flirtatiousness. Not that he was jealous or anything. Not at all.

He continued to lift as he did rep after rep of presses. He loved working out, it really cleared his mind, made him feel mentally and physically strong. And he had to admit to a little vanity, his body was sick, and he liked the attention that brought.

Rocky's face hovered over him. "Yo, you need a spotter?"

"What up?" he asked, setting the bar back into its rest and taking his earbuds out. He sat up, sweat dripping down his face.

"You wanna go out? Rydel wants to go somewhere, maybe catch a movie?"

"Not really," he replied, wiping himself off with a towel.

Rocky sat next to him on the bench. "What are you going to do tonight, dick around by yourself?"

"Probably."

"Dude, what is up? You on your rag or something?"

Ross glared at him through heavy lids and answered tersely, "Can't a guy who works like 80 hours a week be tired?"

"And that's it?"

"What else would it be?" he asked his older brother curtly.

"Well, could it have anything to do with a certain girl?"

"What girl?"

"Do you really want me to spell it out? Laura?"

"Dude, seriously? Don't you get tired of saying the same shit over and over? Because I know I'm tired of hearing it." It may have been true, but he sure as hell wasn't going to share that tidbit with his brother.

"I know I give you a lot of shit about it, but it's because it gets to you. It's pretty obvious to everyone. And now your characters aren't even dating anymore, and you've been in a pretty shitty mood."

"Yes, our characters, not real life."

"Maybe life is imitating art. I don't know what's up with you, but I know you were a lot happier when you used to hang out with her more. Maybe you should do that, even if it's just as friends."

"I can't hang out with her."

His phone pinged with a new message. Rocky glanced at the screen and smirked before tossing the phone to his brother. _Laura Marano._ Ross was going to pretend that seeing her name on his iPhone didn't just make his pulse quicken.

_Why couldn't he?_

He typed back quickly: _because he couldn't find a cosine-r._

_Ha, love it. Math jokes. What are you doing?_

_Chillin with my brother. What about you?_

_Going to a bonfire w Jake_

He heart sunk into the pit of his chest. He wanted so badly for it to be him she would snuggle up to near the fire. He wanted so badly for it to be him that she wanted to be with. But it wasn't.

"So you're really just going to stay home and jerk off all night?" Rocky interrupted his thoughts and for once he was glad he did.

"That doesn't take all night."

"What's your deal? If you like her, just ask her out," his older brother suggested like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"I'm not going to ask her out," he said flatly.

"What are you afraid of? That she'll say no?"

"No, to me?" he said incredulously. "Please."

"Oh, excuse me, cocky bastard. Is it the work thing? Lots of co-stars go out. And that's never stopped you from hitting on other co-stars. And if the Disney people find out, the show's almost over anyway."

"I'm not into her that way, seriously. She's like a really good friend," he insisted.

"Dude, wake up. You like her. Your moods are directly correlated to how long it's been since you've talked to her. You perked right up just now when she texted you."

"That's not true." Shit, he noticed. Ross had to give him more credit.

"It is. Who's the last person you want to talk to at night before you go to bed? Who's the first person you want to talk to when you wake up in the morning? You like her man, and it's fine. Are you like ashamed of her or something?"

"Fuck off, dude. Don't insult her." Ross's fists balled up instinctively.

Rocky held up his hands in surrender, backing off. "I just don't get your deal. I think you should go for it. We all do."

"What, do you you guys sit around and talk about my love life when I'm not around?"

"Umm, yeah, dude. We're your siblings. Plus, we want to see you happy, she makes you happy."

"She's got a boyfriend."

"Well she might feel differently about him if she knew how you felt."

"Whatever, I'm not into her that way. Just friends, man. Now can I finish my workout in peace?"

Rocky walked upstairs to Rydel's room and flopped down on her bed. He stared up at her as she rummaged through her overflowing closet. "What are you doing? Are you color coding your tutus? That means you have way too many. That's ridiculous."

She took off her headphones and put her hands on her hips. "I don't criticize you on your questionable wardrobe choices. Don't question mine."

"Me? I'm the sexiest dresser in the band, not to mention the sexiest member and everyone knows it. Enough about me though, out little brother is being stubborn as ever."

"Well, he's _your_ brother," she returned with a smirk.

"Yeah, yours too, genius. He keeps denying his feelings, and it's driving me nuts. Can't tell that kid shit."

"He's not going to admit it until he comes to the conclusion himself."

"Which might take forever."

"It has to happen soon, I can't live with him like this. He's so effing emo, I can't handle it. Did you see what he tweeted last week?"

"The song lyrics?"

"I mean, jeez. What a little bitch. We need to help him, what can we do?" Rocky wondered aloud, tapping his chin.

"Manipulation, duh. I've already enlisted some help."

"You have?" he asked with a bewildered look on his face.

"Do you really think Mom would have thought to let Ross go to New York with Laura alone? Or do you think a little bug planted something in her ear? She is still going with them to their next appearance in Phoenix, but I convinced her to let him go alone."

"Oh, you're good, Rydel Lynch. You're real good."

"I know, don't underestimate a female."

"I never do, I never do. But what if he gets all slutty with some other groupies. Who knows what un-chaperoned Ross is capable of? Actually, I know exactly what he's capable of."

"But Laura's gonna be there with him, and he wouldn't risk looking bad in front of her. I don't think so. Plus, she's really responsible. Trust me, feelings are going to be realized."

The Lynch siblings were together 24/7. This meant they knew all of each others' moods and they all knew when one had a bad day. Ross just seemed to be having a lot of them lately. Rydel had first noted the change right after the big Austin and Ally kiss a year ago. He'd become a little more reserved, quiet, and choosing not to go out as much. If he did, it was mostly solo, to go on drives or skateboard on his own through the neighborhood. That wasn't really like him at all. Then the two were sent to Australia and New York and things just got a million times worse after they got back. Something in him had changed, like shifting clouds. Even when he did interviews, it always seemed like he was holding something back, especially if it was a joint interview with Laura. And there could only be one explanation.

He liked her. Obviously.

Rocky picked up on it shortly thereafter, noticing that all the song lyrics Ross contributed were all about unrequited love. Being the big brother he was, he started giving him shit about it. This only made matters worse, but pretty much confirmed the source of Ross' issue. Everyone could see it. Anyone with eyes could see the way he looked at her, and the way she looked at him. He was always making excuses to touch her or give her hugs. Those two stole glances at each other all day long. Rocky was also positive Laura liked Ross, but she was way too shy to ever do anything about it. Plus she was such a rule follower that she would never make the first move. Ross had it bad for Laura, but he was way too much of a bonehead to even realize it, instead choosing to internalize and bury his feelings for her so deep that he didn't know what was going on.

And anyone who'd ever seen their show, even though it was a show for kids, could tell that the two teens had serious chemistry. They were either the best actors in the entire world and deserved to be acknowledged by the Academy, or they really did have the same feelings towards each other that their characters did. The sexual tension on the show oozed out of the screen, it was so ridiculous. The fans all picked up on it, how come the two stars couldn't?

Rydel walked downstairs and saw Ross sitting at the kitchen table, chugging a bottle of water. He tossed the empty bottle in the trash then wordlessly trudged up the stairs, probably to waste away in his room to play guitar by himself until God knows what time in the morning. She sighed, they could try and meddle in his life all they wanted, but the two would have to come to the conclusion all on their own.

* * *

He leaned against the doorframe, watching as she leaned over the desk, her cute little butt sticking out at him. Oh, the things they could do in that position. She was intently focused on a book, vigorously marking notes and highlighting things. She wore her glasses and her hair up in a messy topknot. She didn't have a stitch of makeup on, her face freshly scrubbed clean. It was the classic Laura comfort look. He loved that he got to see her natural beauty every week.

They'd just finished reading scenes in which Austin and Ally shared a moment defining kiss. For a couple that was supposed to be heading towards a breakup, the writers sure were sending mixed signals to the fans and actors. It had taken them several run throughs, as Laura had gotten a case of the giggles that quickly spread throughout the four lead actors. It sort of hurt his ego that kissing him was now laughable to her.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she glanced up at him knocking at her door.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked, entering her dressing room. Everything was so girly and neat, everything in its right place. So Laura.

"Oh studying for my English test." She showed him the cover of the book she was reading.

"To be or not to be studying _Hamlet_."

"That _is_ the question," she giggled.

"Well, actually the question is, do you want to go to see Maroon 5 and Neon Trees with me in a couple weeks?"

"Umm, what?" Her eyes were as big as saucers, her smile bright and blinding.

"We got some tickets, and Rydel was going to go with me, but now at the last minute, she's bailing. So I thought…who else might be interested in watching Adam Levine gyrate around the stage?"

"Oh my god, me! Me! Yes, yes of course I want to go!" She ran towards him and enveloped him in a big hug. He squeezed her tight, feeling her body perfectly fit to his. "But maybe you should ask Raini, you know how much she loves him," she deferred, being the best friend that everyone should have. He loved how she was so self-sacrificing for others.

"She's actually out of town for an appearance that weekend," he shared with a smirk.

"Oh, so I'm your second choice?" she joked.

"Never. But I can ask Calum."

"As much as I would love to be a fly on the wall for that Bromantic Broccasion, I'm gonna have to supersede Calum. He'll get over it."

"Cool, well it's a date then. Concert starts at 8, I'll pick you up around 7?" He liked the sound of those words when they were directed at her more than he cared to admit.

"It's a date!" she squealed as he inwardly winced. "I gotta ask my parents, but I'm sure they'll totally be cool. I am so excited. I have to tell Vanessa, she will just die. Thank you so much Ross, you are awesome. But you already knew that," she said, a million thoughts a minute running through her head.

She was just so elated that she was getting to go see Maroon 5 with Ross. He was so sweet to have thought of her. He was so considerate. If only the girls knew how nice he really was, they'd be even more in love with him. She was one lucky girl to have him in her life. She just wished he had someone in his, she had to go through and see if there was anyone else with whom she could set him up. She'd tried before, but maybe she just had to look a little harder.

* * *

_A/N: I realize that Ross says he doesn't work out, but I call BS. If it is true, then damn, good for him. Don't forget to review!_


	8. all i am is a man

_A/N: I am excited for Solos and Stray Kitties, but am looking even more forward to Boy Songs and Badges-I'm thinking there's lots of inspiration ahead. Review if you love introspective Ross and jealous Laura._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to The Neighbourhood, Katy Perry, Daft Punk feat. Pharrell, and Bruno Mars_

_Rating: T for language and content_

* * *

**Everlong**

6: all I am is a man

_You think I'm pretty without any makeup on_

_You think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong_

_I know you get me, so I let my walls come down_

_-Teenage Dream, Katy Perry_

The crowd cheered as he and Laura stepped out from behind the curtains. Camera phone flashes flickered as their fans freaked out, screaming "Laura! Ross! Ally! Austin!" It was so crazy how the fans went berserk for them, sometimes he still couldn't believe this was his life. He knew he was really lucky to be doing what he was doing, but sometimes he felt a little awkward doing these _Austin & Ally_ appearances. And what made him feel even more awkward was the fact that he felt other people could feel his awkwardness. Although _she_ always claimed to be dorky and clumsy, Laura was actually much more engaging and talkative during their appearances and interviews than he was. He just followed suit, playing the straight man to her comic foil. She was just so much better than he was at being open and easy with people, which was why he was glad when they were paired together.

She was genuine and always had high energy, and in contrast, he tended to just stand there, pose for pictures and say the same quick little compliment to each fan. He wasn't terribly original, but when Laura was around, she actually chatted people up and he felt less uncomfortable. They played off each other, like a symbiotic relationship.

One of the perks of being a part of a television duo was that they got to travel with each other to a bunch of places, like Australia. Even the eighteen hour plane ride seemed to pass more quickly with her laughing at all of his dumb jokes. When they hadn't been hanging with their moms, they'd watched movies or played games. If he had to pinpoint it, it was during that trip that their friendship had deepened and he had come to appreciate her as maybe a little more than just a pal. Even though it took him a year to realize it, he certainly knew it now.

"Hi Phoenix! How are you all doing? How many of you are Austin & Ally fans?" The crowd roared. "Awesome! We're so glad you came out today and hope you stop by and say hello. We're excited to meet all of you and we're so excited for you all to see the new episodes this season! Have a great time and stop by and see us!" Laura's voice echoed out over the excited audience as he just stood there, smiling.

He had no idea how she did it. She was so perky and positive. She could talk to anyone, anytime, about anything. It was refreshing. She had no ego; she appreciated the good in all people. Being around her made him want to be the same.

She was not hard to look at either.

Today she wore a pretty floral patterned dress that happened to flounce up on her thighs when she walked. For being so short, she had some long ass legs, smooth and silky endless skin. He was super thankful she liked to show them off, she had no idea. She chatted animatedly with his mother, as he shuffled behind, his eyes trained on her every move.

The pair sat next to each other at the table, with the awaiting line of fans eager to meet their favorite TV stars. There were mostly girls of all ages, and really, to be honest, he thought some of their moms looked even more excited to see them. He flashed a big smile as the first few fans approached them.

He signed autograph after autograph until his hand cramped, but all of their fans were so sweet. They were gifted several drawings and stuffed animals and candy, it was so nice. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, while she was talking to her fans. She gave them all hugs and was so friendly to them. Her face just lit up when she'd talk to each person. It would make him so happy to see that smiling face always.

Conversely, he had done Disney Channel appearances with not-so-pleasant starlets. It wasn't surprising to him that some of them became tabloid fodder like they did. The whole Hollywood thing had its inherent phoniness, but Laura had no part of that. Maybe it's because she did have a regular life, with regular school, regular boyfriend, outside of their world, and maybe that's what kept her so grounded.

But, he had met a lot of "regular" girls who were stuck up, crazy bitches, too, so maybe Laura was just one of a kind.

"Laura, can you tell us a Ross joke?" a girl asked excitedly.

Laura nudged him, "She wants to hear a Ross joke."

"I believe they're called 'Laura jokes.' She wants you to tell it though," he replied with a smirk.

"Okay, okay, here's one. Have you heard the joke about the roof?" Laura questioned.

The girl wrinkled her brow, "No."

"Well that's because it's over your head…get it?" she stated, already exploding into a fit of giggles. She held out her hand for a high five, and he reluctantly obliged, shaking his head.

"Oh my gosh, you can barely get the punchline out. You are ridiculous."

"You love it. He loves it," she enthused, her lips all pursed and cute.

"How do you come up with those jokes?" the fan asked.

He shrugged, "I try and think of the cheesiest thing in the world, or I steal them from Laffy Taffys. I just get Laura, I guess."

"What it is, is that they are hilarious and you seriously can't deny that. Don't deny it, Ross," she playfully punched in him the arm, but it felt like she was punching him in the gut because he always felt like the fool when it came to her.

"I won't deny it." She moved on to compliment the next fan as he whispered under his breath, "I can't, not anymore."

* * *

"Happy birthday, Stormie!" Laura wrapped his mom up in a big hug as she opened the door to their hotel room. Their appearance coincided with his mother's birthday, and they'd invited her out to dinner to celebrate.

"Thanks, sweetie. You look fabulous, so cute. You and Ross are almost matching, we need to take a picture," she pointed out.

Laura looked down at her blue shirt and high-waisted shorts and then at Ross, who was still dressing. He languidly buttoned up a dark blue shirt. She caught a peek of his very toned abs and that very suggestive little happy trail and sucked a breath in. She'd seen it before, but every time she saw him shirtless, it made her feel a little guilty and it made her stomach flutter. "Oh my god, twinsies! Well clearly we've been spending so much time together, we're becoming psychic." She turned back to his mom. "Thanks for inviting me along for your birthday dinner, are you sure you don't want to just go somewhere, mother/son date night?"

"Of course not. I couldn't ask for two better people to spend it with. Wish your parents could've made it this time."

"Yeah, they sends their birthday wishes, and we got you a little something!" She pulled out an elaborately wrapped present from her gigantic tote bag.

"Oh my god, you are making my wrapped in newspaper present look terrible. Thanks a lot, Laura," Ross stated, spraying himself with cologne. The room filled with the scent of him and she thought she was either going to faint or suffocate.

"Laura! You didn't have to do this. This wrapping is exquisite." His mom's eyes were shining, he hoped she wasn't going to cry.

"I love wrapping gifts, and I'm really good at it. It's just a little token of appreciation because you do so much for all of us. Open it!" Laura clapped her hands in excitement as his mom handed it to him.

"Ross!" Laura's shuddered in horror as he ripped through her careful wrap job.

"He loves that part, still." Stormie looked at her baby adoringly. He handed his mom the nondescript cardboard box and she opened it, revealing a coffee tumbler that had pictures of Stormie with the Austin & Ally cast, her kids and husband and _World's Best Mom_ printed on it. "Laura! Thank you!"

She enveloped the smaller girl in a big hug. "You're welcome, you are the best, Stormie. And I know how much you all love coffee, so my mom and I thought it would be perfect."

Ross felt his heart melting. His mom's eyes were a little wet, she was super moved by Laura's gift, and he had to admit it, he was kind of moved, too.

"Well tell her thank you, too, and that I share the honor of best mom with her. Best birthday ever."

"You should come over next week, we're having a cookout for a belated celebration," Ross mentioned casually, hoping that she would say yes.

"I would love to, but I promised I would be there to support my friend in our school's production of _Legally Blonde_. Thanks for inviting me though, love the Lynch family gatherings."

"You just like copping feels at Rocky," he replied with a hint of bitterness.

"That was one time, Ross. I thought we were never going to speak of it again."

He chuckled, remembering the cast party in which Laura had almost fallen on her ridiculously high wedge sandals. She had reached out to grab something to break her fall, that something being his brother's ass. He both loved and hated that moment so much. His brother had gotten further with her than he ever would.

They got into the awaiting SUV that would take them to their restaurant. His mother watched surreptitiously in the rearview as he fought for every ounce of her attention. They two were both super lively after their appearance, singing and laughing. It was adorable. He serenaded her with random lyrics, teasing when she messed up the words. Laura documented everything on her iPad mini, taking several pictures of Ross making all sorts of faces. Stormie hadn't seen him act so carefree in a long time. Usually Ross was the cool one, who didn't expend much effort to impress a girl.

"We're up all night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky…" he sang along with the radio.

"No one's getting lucky tonight, or hopefully not any night anytime soon," his mother warned from the front seat; he was still her baby. He smirked as Laura's cheeks bloomed pink.

Once they'd settled in to the restaurant, Stormie's interrogation began, "So, Laura, tell me about this new boyfriend of yours."

Ross's throat constricted. Really? Now his mom? Couldn't they make it past the appetizers before bringing this subject up?

"He's a guy in my class at school, we have a few classes together and we were lab partners in AP Bio."

"That's a cute way to meet," his mom elbowed him. He rolled his eyes. Ew. No.

"Yeah, over dissecting fetal pigs? It's a perfect meet cute waiting to be written, right? We sort of started talking a little more online and he asked me out and it's going pretty well, although I never get to see him."

Thank God for that.

"Oh, Ross told me that he's taking you to see Maroon 5."

"Yeah, I am so excited. Your son is the best."

"Oh, I know." She pinched his cheek.

"Mom," he whined.

His mother grilled Laura on every topic about her life, but Laura didn't mind at all. In fact, she loved chattering on and on, the two just got along famously. That's what he liked when he traveled with the two of them, the fact that they had similar personalities. Conversations just flowed easily. Laura flashed a smile at him, and he returned a wink. A blush immediately rose to her cheeks and he smiled back. His mother excused herself to the restroom, as they continued to joke and tease each other.

His eyes met hers across the table as she started to fidget. For a brief moment, he pretended that he was taking her out for a dinner date, just the two of them. There was just something about the way she looked in the soft dim of the candlelight. She was so pretty.

Stormie walked back slowly to the table, watching her son lean towards the girl across from him. Laura tossed her head back in laughter as his eyes shined from the glow of the flickering tealight. She hadn't seen him that happy in awhile. She had noted that her son had been a little down lately, she figured it was just from being tired. Sometimes she wondered if they were working them too hard, even though it's what the kids wanted. Now, seeing the sight in front of her, she realized that fatigue didn't have much to do with it at all.

* * *

"Don't stay out here too late, keep an eye on him," Stormie instructed Laura.

"Why are you telling her?" Ross asked, slightly offended.

"Because she's the responsible one. Love you, see you in a bit," his mother replied.

His mom had made an excuse to go upstairs to their room early than usual. He wondered what was up with that, usually she hovered over him like crazy, especially when he was with a girl. Even if that girl was just Laura. See, even his mom didn't think anything would happen between them.

He and Laura were up on the rooftop of their hotel, in the poolside lounge, acting older than they were. They both leaned over the glass railing, staring at the Phoenix night sky. He would not allow himself to think of a future where they would be together in a different way sharing the same moment, that would unravel him right there.

A group of girls, probably in their early twenties, giggled and stared at him after one just came up and asked Laura to take a picture of them. Laura smirked, "Look at you, Mr. Teen Hearthrob."

"What?" he grinned, loving it.

"I don't know how you do it. I wish I had your confidence and swag. You're always so cool and calm and stuff. I come off like a spaz."

"I was just thinking today how I wish I could be more talkative and bubbly like you. I think I come off as an asshole, kind of disaffected and aloof."

"Not at all. At least you don't have like word vomit and come off as overwhelming."

"Aww, you're not overwhelming, you're just energetic." She gave him a look, and he laughed. He pulled her in for a hug and noticed the goosebumps on her arm.

"It's so peaceful out here. What a beautiful night," she murmured.

He picked up on her unintentional lead, "We're looking for something dumb to do…"

"Hey, baby, I think I wanna marry you," she completed, a nervous laugh escaping from her lips. He felt like he was unraveling at the seams and she had no clue.

He let the words settle in the air before responding, "You're freezing, here." He pulled off his denim jacket and draped it over her shoulders. It smelled so good, it smelled like him, and she could drown in it.

"Thanks." She looked up at him with those big eyes and his heart skipped. He felt himself leaning into her, closer than he should. He fixed the collar on his jacket, his fingers brushing her neck. Her breath caught, sometimes his eyes were so intense, she didn't know what to make of it. It made her nervous, and a little anxious at what would happen next. He put his hand on her waist and she visibly shivered.

Her voice was nervous as her eyes stared at his hand, "You know what I've never noticed? You have huge hands."

"Yeeeaah, I do," he winked, and she realized that she sucked at changing the topic from one uncomfortable thing to another. She thanked God for being saved by the bell when her phone bleeted with its old school ringtone that he found laughable.

"Hi, what are you doing?" She giggled in response to something _he_ said, her tone changing dramatically into a flirty, girly voice that Ross rarely heard. Of course, it was her boyfriend, perfect timing. "Really? That's so awesome. Oh not much just wandering around the hotel. We went out for dinner for his mom's birthday. It was super fun. Yeah, just about to go to sleep. Yeah, I'll text you before I leave tomorrow. Yeah, can't wait to see you! Miss you. Bye."

He wondered why she failed to tell Jake that she was with him. It made him feel like an afterthought. Not important enough to even mention.

He listened intently to the one sided conversation, staring straight ahead at the sprawling desert. A part of him pretended that it could be him on the other line one day. That thought pierced him slowly. He wondered if they had defined their relationship, how much she actually cared about him, if she had ever said the three words he wanted so badly to hear whispered to him.

He wondered if she had ever felt as jealous of any girl he had hung out with as he felt now. He wondered if she thought about him kissing other girls, like he imagined her kissing Jake. It was sick, and he knew it, but it invaded his every thought. He wanted to be the one touching her, and it killed him.

He doubted she thought about him at all, and that's why he knew that this was hopeless. No matter who they were or what they were, they would never be Ross and Laura. She just didn't see him that way, and it was time for him to realize that. If he couldn't get under her, he had to get over her. He didn't know how he was going to do it without making things awkward, but he had to because it was slowly killing him. They were any number of girls here who would fuck him, and maybe he should just go with it instead of wasting his time. He couldn't spend any more lonely, sleepless nights, dreaming of her, wanting her, wishing for something that wasn't going to happen.

But if only he could make her see him. If only he could convince her to give him a chance.

Laura watched Ross out of the corner of her eye, his mind far off in dreamland. She listened to Jake talk about the round he shot with his buddies that morning. She knew nothing about golf except that it was even more boring to listen to someone talk about it than to play it. Ross utterly baffled her sometimes, and she didn't know what to make of him. They were friends but sometimes his flirtations seemed more insistent than innocent. And she couldn't deny the way her body reacted to him, even though they'd been friends for years, it was always like the first time when he touched her.

She wasn't the only one noticing him tonight. Every girl had done a double take (bad pun), when he glanced or smiled just the right way. But yet he acted like she was the only one around.

The Phoenix winter air was chilly, and she stuffed her hands into the pockets of his jacket. Her fingers hit hard plastic and she pulled out a room key, a messy scribble of numbers next to a name. Her blood burned as hot as her cheeks and her heart sank a little, and she was jealous. And she had no idea why.


	9. i kinda wanna be more than friends

_A/N: Thanks for the great reviews, I love seeing the same familiar people reviewing each chapter! Thanks especially to beautiflxoblvn, I think you've been with me since the beginning and your writing is incredible-hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint. I'll try to update once more before the end of the week, but then I'll be gone for awhile, so like A&A episodes, it may be a wait. Send me some thoughts.  
_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Neon Trees and Blink 182. Thanks to Maroon 5 and their Overexposed tour for inspiring this work of fiction._

_Rating: T for very strong language and content_

* * *

**_Everlong_**

7: I kinda wanna be more than friends

_I fell in love with the girl at the rock show_  
_She said, "What?" and I told her that I didn't know_  
_She's so cool, gonna sneak in through her window_  
_Everything's better when she's around_  
_I can't wait 'til her parents go out of town_  
_I fell in love with the girl at the rock show_

_-The Rock Show, Blink 182_

"I can't believe you got these front row tickets to Maroon 5. Are you kidding me?" she shouted back at him as they walked through the private entrance tunnel to the Staples Center.

"Yeah, well I have connections," he shrugged, pushing through the crowd, his hand protectively guiding her.

"Apparently. How come I don't have these connections? Oh yeah, I'm not Disney's favorite teen idol, that's how," she gently teased, turning back to look at him.

"Oh, whatever," he played it off with a sly grin, and she rolled her eyes. He knew she didn't mean it from a malicious place, that was never Laura's intent, but it was a little bit of a sore subject lately.

And she was completely right. After _Teen Beach Movie_, his profile had risen significantly. Although he would never be one to brag about it, he was now a franchised star, one of the most popular on Disney. And they loved their little triple threat cash cow, pimping him and his band all over. That made it a little more annoying as he started getting more attention from the paparazzi and media. He had always thought he would love this kind of publicity, but on nights like this, when he just wanted to hang privately with his co-star, he wished for some anonymity.

He just wanted to hold onto nights like this for a little while longer before A&A finished. He'd already found it increasingly difficult with his schedule to hang with his co-stars and devote as much time to promote the show as he used to. He couldn't imagine what it would be like when he wouldn't be seeing his cast mates on a regular basis. Especially Laura. He'd no longer have excuses to call her or text her without revealing how much she really meant to him. And he wasn't ready to show her how much that was.

People thought that the separation amongst the cast was because he didn't care much about the show, scheduling or whatever. That wasn't true at all. If only they knew how much he wanted to hang out with Laura, they'd be disturbed. But maybe it was better this way, it was starting to physically hurt him to be around her when she was completely oblivious to him. If he started to wean off her, maybe the time apart would allow him to get over his little infatuation.

But…maybe he could start getting over her tomorrow. Tonight he just wanted to enjoy her company and pretend that they were something they weren't.

He put his arm around her as they made their way past the concession stands. He had a backwards baseball cap covering his hair, and he kept his head down to avoid getting recognized although _she_ definitely wasn't helping the cause.

Although Laura had foregone her signature curly locks and gone with a straightened look, her eye-catching outfit screamed look at us! She wore skyhigh heels and a tight navy suede dress with a cutout revealing the pale, smooth skin of her lower back. Each time he ushered her in front of him, he caught the warmth of her skin and it sent a shiver down his spine. A thousand different images ran through his head, most of them very, very X-rated, and he felt like he had to mentally spray himself down to control his hands from wandering any further down.

Who was this girl? When they'd met four years ago, she'd been dorky and awkward and now she got hot like overnight. And her growing confidence had not changed her personality at all. She was still good and sweet and nice. She was perfect. When he really thought about it, he didn't deserve her. Deep down he knew that.

She looked unbelievable, and he sort of wanted to wrap his jacket around her and hide her away from the disgusting male eyes that undressed her as they passed. She looked fucking sexy…and she was _his_ date.

And it really did feel like a real date. He'd gone over to her house to pick her up, bringing her a small bunch of tulips (her favorite) as his mother and sister insisted, making awkward small talk with her parents, while trying not to make eye contact with her dad (pretty sure the man hated him). He'd let out a low whistle of approval when she descended the stairs to meet him. That had earned him a dirty look from her dad, but it was worth it to see the blush creep across her cheeks. They'd sang along at the top of their lungs to a marathon of Maroon 5 songs as they cruised towards the venue, windows down, laughing as they got crazed looks from other drivers.

"So, how come Rydel couldn't go?" she asked as she carefully walked down the steps towards their seats on the floor. She grabbed his arm to steady herself on her heels. He reveled in the strong alpha male feeling that gave him. The energy was electric as he could practically feel the floor vibrating from the hum of people ready to rock out. It was infectious, a contact high, and he was feeling it.

"She said she was busy," he shrugged. Whatever the reason, he had to remember to thank his sister for backing out.

She let her eyes wander at all the people in the stands, her grin stretched from ear to ear. "Well my gain, I guess. Thanks again for thinking of me."

"Of course, I know how much you love them." He held out his fist for her to pound.

"I'm going to be thisclose to Adam Levine, I could die," she gushed, clutching her chest.

Even though he kept his head down, they were still stopped by several fans who were excited, to say the least, to see the two out together. He imagined that the twitterverse would blow up with pictures and hashtags of the two of them by the end of the night. Well, at least they were giving everyone something to talk about.

After signing a few autographs and posing for a few pictures, they finally got to the seats, just in front of the right side of the stage. She gushed, "Oh my god, this is amazing. You are the best. And I can't believe Neon Trees and Owl City are the openers. I mean, best concert ever. Did I happen to tell you how much I love you?" She reached up and gave him a big hug. He nuzzled his nose into her hair, his stomach doing flip flops all the while.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't get tired of hearing it," he stated casually with a wink.

She chuckled, "Well, I love you, you're the best. You earned the Rossome nickname tonight, buddy."

As the lights dimmed and the opener took the stage, his eyes focused only on her. She was mesmerized by the show, and she was mesmerizing him. Her lips ghosted every lyric, her eyelids heavy as she felt the music. The darkness of the arena, with its twinkling flashes and camera phone fireflies bathed her profile in a serene glow. God, she was pretty. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and she leaned into him, wrapping her tiny arm around his waist. Her perfume filled his lungs, giving him a heady high.

_Here we go again_  
_I kinda wanna be more than friends_  
_So take it easy on me_  
_I'm afraid you're never satisfied_

_Here we go again_  
_We're sick like animals_  
_We play pretend_  
_You're just a cannibal_  
_And I'm afraid I won't get out alive_  
_I won't sleep tonight_

_Oh oh, I want some more_  
_Oh oh, what are you waiting for_  
_Take a bite of my heart tonight_  
_Oh oh, I want some more_  
_Oh oh, what are you waiting for?_  
_What are you waiting for?_  
_Say goodbye to my heart tonight_

_Hush, hush the world is quiet_  
_Hush, hush we both can't fight it_  
_It's us that made this mess_  
_Why can't you understand?_  
_Whoa, I won't sleep tonight_

The crowd was pumped, jumping up and down, but he was contemplative. He knew what it was for a song to ring so truthfully. She hugged herself closer to him, linking her arm with his as she shouted, "That was amazing! OMG, that was so good. I can't believe it. I forgot how much I love that song. All the lights around us and everything, so good." She did not question his sudden quietness, she was too excited. "I gotta text Jake and Raini, they're so jealous I got to go. I'm gonna go to the bathroom, be right back." She skipped off, leaving him alone to check his phone and try to ignore the fact that she was going to rehash all of the details of their night to her _boyfriend_.

He had no one like that to text. Except his sister, who was overly curious about the details of the night thus far. Oh well.

He had barely paid attention to the show anyway, so he didn't really have anything to report. It was impossible to concentrate on the show when she was right next to him. She was so energetic and happy and he wanted to bottle up the feeling she gave him and keep it forever.

"Hey, aren't you Ross Lynch?" A shadow appeared in front of him and he looked up at a beautiful blonde, or rather, at her very low cut top. Nice. He flashed her a smile, and noticed another girl clutching to the first girl's arm.

"Yeah, hey," he acknowledged with a head nod.

"I'm Mackenzie and this is my friend Tessa, she's a big fan," the blonde stated, her blue eyes twinkling. The other girl was beet red and remained silent. She gave a small wave, which he returned.

"Nice to meet you guys. Are you enjoying the show so far?" he asked.

"Yeah, Neon Trees was so good. Kind of obsessed."

"Cool, yeah, they're awesome," he replied, staring down at his phone. He saw the first wave of tweets about them, freaking out at the joint sighting. Not freaking out as much as he was on the inside, but freaking out nonetheless.

"Are you here with your girlfriend?" she baited, her friend waiting expectantly for the answer.

"No, I'm here with one of my co-stars," he corrected quickly, meeting the girl's waiting eyes.

"Oh, cool. You guys look really hot together," the blonde replied directly.

He chuckled, everyone was a shipper. "Thanks, I will tell her that, I guess."

"Would you mind taking a picture with us?"

"Sure, no problem." He held the camera phone in front of the girls as they flanked him on either side and snapped the shot of the girls giving him air kisses.

The other girl managed enough courage to ask timidly, "So, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Nope, totally single," he replied with a wink, eliciting an even deeper blush.

Laura approached her seat as she saw Ross chatting up some girls. She felt a small catch in her throat, and she had to gulp it down. The taller of the two, a really pretty girl, with enormous boobs that were totally hanging out in front of his face, was writing something on Ross' palm. Of course. Whatever. Everywhere they went, girls threw themselves at him. And they sent him some very inappropriate pictures all the time. Like all. The. Time. She couldn't escape it.

The jealousy she felt in Phoenix crept back into her psyche, even though she had done her best to convince herself that it was just a fluke on her part. She was just being protective of her best guy friend, not wanting him to be taken advantage of by some skank. That was all, nothing more. He was Ross. They were co-workers. Friends. Compadres. She had a boyfriend anyway.

She couldn't blame girls for wanting to get on him. Look at him, in his gray t-shirt, black jeans, chuck taylors and guitar pick necklace. He was the epitome of the cool, casual rocker boyfriend that every girl wanted. She walked up and smiled as the girls retreated and he grinned sheepishly.

"Hey."

"Hi. You've been busy, I see," she dryly stated.

"Sure have," he grinned, his eyes sparkling.

"Such a player, Ross. I can't leave for five minutes before the vultures descend."

"I can't help it if the ladies love me."

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't be jealous," he replied, his smug grin firmly affixed to his face. She would not let him have the satisfaction.

"Me? Jealous? Please," she protested. The lights dimmed and crowd roared, interrupting her train of thought. He smirked and she pushed him in the arm. "I'm not jealous," she pouted.

He just shrugged with a knowing smile. He liked that she was somewhat jealous of other girls talking to him. The tables were turned, and she could feel how he felt when she talked about Jake.

Ross watched Adam Levine work the stage, back and forth, favoring their side, even locking eyes with Laura a few times, and he felt the rage of envy fill his body again. She stared at him like he was a piece of meat, and she'd just decided to stop being a vegetarian. And he worked it right in front of her, thrusting with his guitar. Ross was taking mental notes, he had to steal some of his moves. He felt a new level of discomfort as he heard song after song about unrequited love or longing or other bullshit that he was going through. It was dark, hot, sweaty and she kept on accidentally grinding up against him while dancing all slow and sexy. And oh my god, how had he not remembered that the Maroon 5 catalog was full of fucking sexual songs, each one making him want her more.

He was going to have more trouble trying to get over her than he thought. She was always making things difficult.

She bopped up and down beside him, totally into the music, blissfully unaware of all his feelings. She had no idea of her effect on him. Especially when she leaned in and sang about keeping her cumming every night and the way it felt between her thighs? And fuck, the bass line to Makes Me Wonder? As it reverberated through the building, using his body as a conduit, he swore a song had never made him want to fuck so badly. He wanted to die.

He was just so acutely aware of every move she made, every breath she took, every blink of her fluttery eyelashes. His heart pounded in his chest as he caught her smiling face in his periphery. He just wanted to kiss her.

What would it be like if he could do that without her wondering why he had done it?

What would it be like if he could do that whenever he wanted?

What would it be like if she wanted him to do it instead of him having to steal the moment?

Where was this coming from? For fuck's sake, she should be like his sister. He figured it was just a result of proximity and this burst of feelings was due to the energy of the show. There was always something vaguely sexual about the electricity that emanated from live music, thumping beats and bass undertones. That's why he loved being on stage so much. That was all, he would feel like this with any girl.

Yeah, keep telling yourself that, dude.

She watched him with a calculated hint of concern. He leaned down and whispered, "I'm really glad you're here with me." She leaned in closer and swayed to the music for the remainder of the show, enjoying this perfect night. He was so sweet.

He was antsy, anxious for this date to be over before he did something really stupid like throw her down and kiss her down her cheek, her mouth, her neck, her chest. He would take her right there on the floor of the arena, if he didn't stop now. He liked to think he had good resolve and self control, but at this moment, he didn't know exactly of what he was capable.


	10. i'm a sorry sucker

_A/N: A big thanks to Randilyn04 for all the love. Think I gained a lot of new readers of this story from your pimping it out on Tumblr and I appreciate it, you are awesome. All of you who read this are. This will be the last update for a few weeks, I'm going out of the country, so _bear_ with me. Also, I couldn't help but put a bear joke in this chapter, that hug from last week's episode was too cute._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Credits for dialogue go to the writers and creators of Austin and Ally. Song credits to Neon Trees, Bruno Mars, Flo Rida._

_Rating: T for language and content_

* * *

**Everlong**

10: i'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time

_It started with a whisper_  
_And that was when I kissed her_  
_And then she made my lips hurt_  
_I could hear the chitchat_  
_Take me to your love shack_  
_Mama's always gotta backtrack_  
_When everybody talks back_

_-Everybody Talks, Neon Trees_

Ross sat up on the counter of Sonic Boom, swinging his legs. He watched as Calum gesticulated wildly while Raini stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. He was daydreaming a bit, he tended to do this when the others were shooting. Well, actually, most of the time he just stared at Laura, because that's what "Austin" would do, but she wasn't in this scene. It was so crazy how the writers were breaking them up. He personally thought that Austin was not that interesting a character without Ally. Everyone knew the two were meant for each other. You can't claim a girl is just a friend when you hang out with her all the time, do random shit for her, serenade her, or help her out at the drop of a pin. He didn't even do that shit for his sister. Austin literally jumped off a bridge for Ally. In his opinion, Austin was like borderline obsessed with her. Which in all likelihood made him borderline obsessed with Laura.

Seriously, not to be cheesy, but he would catch a grenade for her.

The concert only cemented that feeling. Afterwards, when he had dropped her off, while walking her up to her door, a brief moment passed when he thought he was about to kiss her. She had been chatting nonstop since the concert, tittering about every last detail. He hadn't heard a word. All he could do was stare at her mouth and her sexy red lips. It would have been the perfect opportunity. It would be like in all those romantic movies, when the guy just shuts the girl up by sweeping her up in a kiss. He could have done it.

But he waited a beat too long and she had stopped talking and had just stared at him like he was crazy. The awkward silence between them grew thick like smog. She broke it with a friend zone hug, and said her quick thanks, disappearing into her house. That left him standing outside chiding himself for being such a pussy.

Then he spent the rest of the weekend obsessing about it.

Calum threw his hands down with an exaggerated sigh. Ha, that's how Ross felt. He had to fight to keep a laugh in at his friend's histrionics. He looked ridiculous, in his usual t-shirt, suspenders, bright pants ensemble, made even more ridic with the shirt depicting an oyster saying, "Aww shucks." His shirts were the best. He personally wouldn't want to wear them, but his redheaded friend pulled them off in a way only he could.

"Scene! Thanks guys. Let's break for lunch. We'll start up again in an hour," their director instructed.

The three walked back to the dressing rooms, Raini prattling on about the latest adventures on the _Modern Family_ set with her brother. Calum opened the door to his dressing room and Raini flopped down on the couch. Their lunches had been set out on the coffee table, as per usual, except there was one missing.

"Where's your better half?" Calum asked, reading his mind. He walked over to his coffee maker, and popped in a little pod. This made it his fifth or sixth cup of the day. The boy could drink coffee.

Ross raised his eyebrows. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

"What? I'm just saying, you guys have hung out a lot over the past few weekends. I'm jealous. You never hang out with me…" he fake whined. "Actually, I miss hanging with Laura more than I miss hanging out with you." Ross lobbed a pillow at his friend and gave him the finger. Calum stuck his tongue out.

"Oh my god, real mature guys. Ross, go get Laura. I think she's in her dressing room, studying," Raini answered, flipping through photos on her iPad.

"What a nerd," Ross snickered. He jumped up and darted down the hall to get her. She had been sort of weird all morning. She was super quiet in between scenes, which was not like her at all. She was usually little Miss Chatterbox, quick with a compliment to brighten everyone's day, but no positive words today. She had seemed distracted, checking her phone a lot between takes. Maybe they _were_ spending too much time together, she was starting to look like him.

But then again, it hadn't seemed like anyone else had noticed any difference, or said anything about it. That was a little embarrassing to know he was more attuned to her every mood, feeling, movement, breathing pattern than anyone else was.

He stopped in front of her dressing room, admiring the pictures of the group that decorated her door. There was one of him in the swamp monster costume with her in the zombie bride costume. There was another of her in the Stray Kitties get up, one of his favorite episodes. He remembered taking some of those pictures during shooting. They all looked so young, but he didn't feel that young anymore. He was glad these moments were captured on film because one day soon they would just be memories.

Shit, he was becoming a pussy.

He could hear her voice through the door, which wasn't a surprise. Laura was really loud. Like, really loud. Usually, it was her laughter that filtered through the halls, but today her tone was decidedly more serious. He could only make out a few words, but she didn't sound too happy. It sounded like she was fighting with someone. He put his head flush to the door to listen to the argument. He wasn't sure if he'd ever seen her argue with anyone. He'd seen her annoyed and tired, but never outright mad.

"Are you serious? I told you, it's not like that!" She paused then added, "Oh really, is that what you're going to believe? Oh okay, yeah. Look I'm at work, I have to go."

He backed away from the door just as she flung it open. She jumped back, a little squeak emanating from her lips. "Hey Ross!" she exclaimed.

He looked down at her overly exuberant face, the fake happy face. "Hey, I was just coming to get you for lunch. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," she covered, shutting her door behind her quickly.

"Really?" he waited a beat knowing full well that everything was not fine. She was the only girl he could ever read perfectly.

"Okay, no. The stuff online is kind of getting to Jake, and even though it's so not true, he's like flipping out."

Ross sighed. He had seen the stuff that was all over the internet. It was pretty damning. He could see why Jake wouldn't be super happy seeing another guy with his arm around his girlfriend. If he had seen pictures of Laura and another guy he knew how it would make him feel. And they weren't even dating.

"That's stupid. You told him it was like no big deal, right? We hang out all the time."

"Yeah, well that's another issue that he doesn't understand," she muttered, shaking her head.

"We work together. We do appearances together. I mean, we have to be around each other. We are Austin and Ally. We're paid to be together. Cause, I mean seriously, if I weren't paid to hang out with you…" he teased making her shake her head with a smirk.

Her eyes narrowed. "Gee, thanks."

"You know what I mean. Do you want me to talk with him, to clear things up?" he suggested, following her down the hallway.

"No, I appreciate it, but I think it would make it worse."

"Well, sorry that I caused this whole mess for you. I hate seeing you upset," he apologized.

"You didn't cause any mess. I had a great time on Saturday. The show was amazing, and I'm so glad you invited me. I'm so glad we went together."

"Me too, I just don't see what the issue is."

"It's his issue. He'll get over it, now let's eat, I'm starving. Need my fix."

"Ah, yes, gogurt o'clock."

He had been correct that pictures of the two of them would surface, with rampant rumors of their romantic date night, canoodling at the concert, and sharing kisses and whispers throughout the night. He wished. The fans had trended Raura and were exaggerating things to the nth degree. Their imagination was more active than his was. The news of their coupling was splashed on every teen blog, fluff magazine and he was pretty sure his publicist was going to kill him after fielding hundreds of calls wanting a scoop. He hadn't even checked the R5 tumblr as he was pretty sure the fans were blowing it up with Raura and Auslly gifs. His mother wasn't helping the cause either, retweeting a pic of the two of them with the hashtag #RAURA.

Everybody talks, indeed.

And now he had apparently created a rift between Laura and her so-called boyfriend. He wasn't crying a river over it or anything, but he didn't like seeing her upset. Just like he hated seeing mean comments about her or critiques about her from his fans. Calum nudged him and he snapped back to the present, seeing Laura's eyes furrow questioningly at him. He hadn't realized he'd been staring again. God, he felt like a fucking moron. It was a hard habit to break.

The boys were called back to the set leaving the two girls to finish up lunch in Calum's room.

"So we didn't really get to talk about it, how was it?" Raini asked stealing a carrot stick from her co-star's stash.

"Oh my gosh, so good. Adam Levine is incred-i-ble!" Laura inflected. "They just sounded so good and the crowd was pumped and he was like literally right there a few feet from me. I mean I was like practically eye level with his crotch the whole time. Ross will have to show you some pictures."

"Jealous." Raini paused. "Okay, now tell me the good stuff."

"What good stuff?" Laura acted innocent, her eyelashes fluttering.

"Oh please, don't play coy. How was your date?"

"Oh my god, not you too, Raini." Laura hid her face in her hands and shook her head, flopping back against the couch.

"Those pictures were cute." Raini pulled up a candid that showed Laura nestling into Ross. She had to admit they looked like a couple. She could see how that would look suspicious.

"You know that every time you look at a paparazzi pic, a kitten dies," she said pointedly.

"Hey, people were blowing up my twitter with them. And since you didn't share the deets, I had to get them somewhere."

"Well, it was so fun. Honestly, Ross is just the best. We had a great time. And it wasn't a date."

"But I hear he brought you flowers. Tulips, your favorite right?"

"What, were you hiding in the bushes at my house or something?" she asked incredulously. How did news spread so fast? She was pretty sure that part wasn't reported or Jake would've gone apeshit.

"Oh I have my super secret, undercover sources."

"Calum is hardly undercover, he sticks out like the ginger he is. I've already had to explain it all morning to Jake, I really don't want to have to explain it to you, too."

"So Jake was jealous. I hate to say I told you so, but…"

"Oh you love it. I'm sorry I didn't call you for the play by play, but I spent all yesterday, and now most of this morning trying to smooth things over. He just doesn't get it."

"That you and Ross are just friends?"

"Yeah, I mean, really. I'm not going to turn down an opportunity to go to a concert and have fun with one of my best friends. I thought he was more confident and less of the envious boyfriend type."

"Well, he probably is, except that his competition is Ross Lynch, your hot guy friend that you've kissed on multiple occasions."

"Hot guy friend? Ew. I mean, yes, he is technically good looking," she stated using air quotes, "but still. He's Ross. I've seen him eat salami on cereal. I can't think of Ross that way."

"Ok, well most of the teenage girl population under 21 can and do."

"Well, Ross isn't competing with Jake. That's ridiculous. We kissed for work. That doesn't count."

"I'm not going to beat a dead horse, but some of those pictures are like so sweet. I mean, you guys are like hugging super tightly. You both just look really happy. It really looked like you were on a date." In Raini's head, the scene from the A&A episode where the two pretended they were on the perfect date replayed on loop.

"It was the camera angles and the lighting. But, I was really happy. He was the perfect gentleman. He even walked me to my door at the end, in a friendly way."

There's no friendly way of doing that, Raini thought. "There's no friendly way of doing that, unless he shook your hand," she echoed with her inner dialogue. And camera angles her ass.

Laura just rolled her eyes.

"Do you think? Nah, nevermind," Raini resisted the urge to ask the question everyone was dying to know, what was the deal? She wanted to know if Laura was really that dense about the whole situation. Yeah, she had a boyfriend, but it was so obvious that Ross was into her. She didn't want to push her friend today, but she was curious. Clearly Laura didn't want to acknowledge it too much if she did know how he felt. Raini wasn't an idiot. She was a girl, and she totally saw how Ross would stare at Laura all day long. He probably thought he was being subtle. He wasn't.

She didn't know how it would all work out, but thought that real life Austin and Ally would be sort of really cute. And if both of her friends made each other happy, that was a bonus.

Ross blew on his whistle necklace, singing, "Can you blow my whistle, baby, whistle, baby," as he playfully rehearsed some dance moves around Laura. He spun around and around, and she closed her eyes.

"Can you stand still for one minute? You're giving me whiplash."

"Hey, Laura, what do you call a bear with no teeth?"

"What, Ross?"

"A gummy bear." She let a giggle escape, a big smile plastered on her face. She needed to be silly and get past all of the negative vibes of the day, and she was glad Ross could cheer her up.

She grabbed ahold of his hand and dragged him through the door of the practice room set as their director signaled the take.

"Did you see the look on his face?" she laughed, squeezing his hand tighter. He felt like his stomach was going to drop to the floor as he looked down at smiling face.

"I couldn't, it was covered in Zaliens brains and Butch goo." When he played Austin, for some reason he felt the need to shout and over enunciate his lines. His voice sounded so different to him. It was weird.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, Austin. I think being together is getting in the way of us being us. I really wanted us to work."

"Me too," he paused for dramatic effect, "more than anything."

"Maybe we're not ready to be a couple just yet. Friends?" she replied, definitively.

"And partners, always." He thought Ally was too quick to give up on their relationship. Why was it always the girl who was less interested?

She reached out her hand as he tried to hold out his arms for a hug. They chuckled. He opened his arms to her as she reached for his hand to shake. They stepped away form each other, but then he closed the gap in one fall swoop and grabbed her, holding her body to his tightly. He buried his nose into her hair, resting his chin on her shoulder. He felt the rapid rise and fall of her chest against his.

"This is just as friends right?" she whispered, her voice breaking just a bit.

"Yeah, just as friends," he stated wistfully.

She hesitated before squeezing her arms around his neck tighter. "Okay, but don't let go just yet."

He sighed into her hair, "I wasn't going to."

It seemed like forever before the director called cut and he heard applause from their crew and the audience. He pulled away from her, seeing her eyes glassy. He held up his hand for a high five, which she gave, but he clasped his fingers with hers, intertwining them and holding them there for a minute too long.

Raini stood next to Calum and watched their two cast mates from afar.

"Are you crying?" Calum teased.

Raini blinked rapidly. "No!" she protested, even though she totally was almost crying. "You're heartless if you didn't cry over that."

"So you want to make a friendly wager? How long do you think it'll take for them both to realize they are into each other?" Calum suggested, as Raini raised her eyebrows.

"What are the stakes?"

"Winner brings the other coffee of their choice for two weeks."

"You're on. But first, what did Ross tell you? We're starting on a level playing field."

"Basically nothing, 'Dude, whatever, we're just friends, man," Calum channeled Ross with perfect inflection and hand movements. His time working with their diction coach, Laura, was really paying off.

"Okay, my guess is three months."

"Really? You're going to go with three months? That's ballsy, since they just went on their first date," Calum scoffed.

"Unbeknownst to them."

"Oh they knew, there are a lot of feels there."

"Okay, love whisperer. What are we defining as knowing they're into each other?"

"First hook up," he declared decidedly. "Meaning kiss not on set, possibly more."

"Okay, know it all, what's your answer?"

"Within a month. I guarantee it. They're going on another trip together, to New York, that's a city of romance. It's going to happen."

"Do you even know Laura Marano? She would not go for that. That girl is more in denial than any Egyptian ever could be. She's a good girl, so she wouldn't want to break the rules. She'd be too afraid that they'd get found out. Plus she has a boyfriend."

Calum snickered. "Psshhh…boyfriend, shmoyfriend. Have you met Ross Lynch? Who wouldn't go for him?" he questioned right back. The two stared at each other for a silent beat before busting out into laughter.

"Touché. Okay, clearly we disagree and have our own agendas. So we're not allowed to help it along then. They have to do it on their own. Which means no more cheeky twitter comments, Calum."

"Who me?" he sang.

"Yes, you," she continued, chuckling the entire time. "What's a Raura and is it replacing me on Austin and Ally?" she mocked, with shoulders shrugged.

"I like to stir the pot."

"I know you do, you're a shit stirrer. We have to let them get there on their own."

"Oh, it's there, they just have to water it and watch it grow." He made the birds wings gesture as she stuck out her hand.

They shook on it, and joined Ross and Laura on set. They were now shooting a scene in which there was an elaborate prop set up with instruments serving as a clarinet golf course. He ended the scene with "Ally" in his arms, gazing into her eyes. It was almost like the writers were on the side of getting the two together.

Everyone's a shipper.

"I like toffee nut lattes, nonfat, no whip, please," Calum whispered as Raini bit her tongue.

"Well, knowing you boys, he'll balk or mess something up and it'll take longer than you think. I stand firm with my answer," she reinforced.

"Regardless of who wins, I can't wait to watch the dr-ama all unfold."

"You're a sucker for that."

"I totes am," he agreed, putting his arm around her shoulder.

* * *

A/N: Since it'll be awhile til the next chapter, I'll just drop you a hint that there may be a breakup in the near future. Review and let me know if you're okay with that, I'm thinking you will be. :)


	11. when i come around

_A/N: I'm back, and hopefully updates will be a little more frequent. So, what did I miss in Rauraland, I tried to keep up while I was gone, but I guess lots of stuff happened? I'm just looking forward to when they start filming on Monday, then there will be lots more for all of us. Thanks for reading and reviewing, especially to xoElle23 and bytheseashore for being such consistent reviewers. Happy 4th!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Green Day, the Naked and the Famous, Temper Trap and R5._

_Rating: T for language and content_

* * *

**Everlong**

7: when I come around

_We lie beneath the stars at night_

_Our hands gripping each other tight_

_You keep my secrets hope to die_

_Promises swirl into the sky_

_-Young Blood, the Naked and the Famous_

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Ross could certainly attest to that statement…or something like that. They'd been on a two week hiatus from filming, and he was basically a wreck inside. He was, at baseline, a jittery guy, he couldn't keep still as it was, but he was literally trembling in anticipation, counting down the seconds until he could see her again. This was unhealthy.

Of course, he was trying so hard not to show it on the outside. He was Ross Lynch, the ultimate disaffected guy. He played if off like he was hanging with other girls, busying himself with the music thing, but lately, he'd been having trouble keeping it cool. No matter what else he was promoting, he'd been getting annoyed with everyone pestering him about Laura, and he was letting it get to him.

He couldn't have people thinking he was going all crazy over some girl; girls went crazy over him and he could have his pick. He had an image to maintain, even to his family. So, his defense mechanism was the "whatever" approach. He avoided talking about Austin and Ally when he could, he didn't tweet about it, didn't even acknowledge it, and that way people couldn't bring her up as much. It wasn't the best approach, but it worked to a certain extent when he was in public.

In private was another story.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those huge brown eyes staring back at him. Every day it seemed like his feelings were becoming more heightened. Before their hiatus, Austin and Ally had been falling back into their flirtatious banter even though they were broken up. He had been used to being with Laura for hours and hours, hugging her, singing to her, gazing at her, and then suddenly he was cut off. It was killing him not to know what she was up to, who she was with, where she was. He checked his phone every other minute to see if she'd texted or tweeted something profound. It was like a never-ending nightmare from which he couldn't wake up. She was like an addiction, and he needed a hit.

Everyone on the internet was talking about them being a couple, when they definitely still were not. It was a little overwhelming how much some of their fans persisted and obsessed over it. He pretended that it didn't bother him, but it was almost unnerving how aggressive they were about it. It wasn't doing him any favors, because if it made him uncomfortable, he hated to even guess how she felt about it. Actually, he already was beginning to see the effects, because he couldn't even really talk to her about it. It felt like she was distancing herself from him. After the whole concert thing blew up, she went back into self-preservation mode to help keep her boyfriend's jealousy at bay. That meant that he had to suffer.

All of the attention hadn't made Laura's situation with Jake easier, and the fans didn't even know about him! He sometimes wished they weren't as fixated on the Raura thing, he sort of thought that they more they bugged Laura about it, the less likely it was to happen.

Who was he kidding, he didn't think it was going to happen anyway. He was destined to be in the friendzone forever.

So as their characters had gotten closer and closer, stealing glances and hugs, he felt like he was drifting further and further apart from her and he wanted to die. He was stuck in his own private purgatory. This. Was. Hell.

And in a few weeks he was about to embark on a trip with her, alone, without his mother or any of his family members to distract him. He had a lot of pent up energy and he wasn't sure how he was going to tame himself.

He'd practically rubbed his dick raw over the past few nights and that wasn't even enough to contain this energy inside him. Good thing Ryland actually had a life and was out and about doing whatever it was normal teens did or he might be embarrassed of his actions in their shared room.

He lay on his bed, earbuds in place, trying to meditate and distract himself. He flipped through picture after picture of the two of them from their photoshoot in Australia. They looked so casual and natural. He could see why people wanted to pair them together. They looked good, with his arm around her shoulder, sitting next to a bench with her. He loved the picture of him standing with his arms crossed while she posed for the camera. She was the picture of innocence and perfection.

Ugg, the fact that he even thought those words made him want to gag. He was becoming the exact lame douche he didn't want to be. Who was he?

His phone vibrated next to him and he opened one eye to check the text. He sat up abruptly, seeing her name on his screen.

_Are you around?_

His fingers couldn't type fast enough. _Yeah, whats up?_

_Do you think you could pick me up at my house? Need to go for a drive_

He frowned, his fingers still flying_. Are you ok? What's wrong?_

_Boy issues. :(_

_I'll be right over_

His heart fluttered as he collected his keys, jacket and ran down the stairs, giving quick notice to his dad that he was going for a drive.

She was waiting for him on the steps of her porch as he drove up, her pretty face dejected. The forlorn look on her face sent a punch right to his gut. She was Laura, she was the positive, bright light in his life, he would kill that piece of shit if he had hurt her.

She hopped into the car, and he enveloped her in a hug, letting her sweet scent wrap around him. It was almost suffocating, but he was fine with it. She sniffed and wiped her ragged eyes quickly to hide her tears from him.

"Aww, don't cry. Everything's okay." He tucked a lonely strand of hair behind her ear and wiped a tear away with the back of his hand.

She gave him a weak smile. "I knew seeing you would make me feel better. Thanks for coming over, I didn't want to bother you because I figured you'd be busy, but…"

"Don't worry about it. I'm here for you, anytime you need me, partner...Wow, we sound like we're in an episode of Austin and Ally."

"I know, I'm half expecting Calum to burst in and interrupt the Auslly moment," she chuckled.

He snickered, hoping to God that wasn't going to happen.

"Can we just go somewhere?" she asked. He started to drive, but stopped a few feet from her house. Her brow wrinkled, "Somewhere a little further away from my house, maybe?"

He smiled in response. "Patience, we'll go somewhere. But, I brought something to cheer you up." He reached down next to her legs, grazing them ever so slightly to pull out a box of strawberry Gogurts from a grocery bag.

She laughed, "Gogurt? You're letting me eat Gogurt in your car after the Gogurt Incident of January 2013? You must _really_ feel bad for me."

"I will never forget the way that thing exploded when Calum sat on it, and I certainly won't forget cleaning it out of every crevice of the backseat, but you clearly need some comfort and I know Gogurts do it for you." Her face softened, handing him one.

"To Gogurts and good company," she toasted with a soft smile. They clinked the plastic tubes and he started to drive.

He navigated the streets around her house, sliding onto the freeway, as she sat, sucking at the tube of yogurt with little laps of her tongue. Okay, maybe he should gift her a lifetime supply of Gogurts if she was going to eat them like that. It was just added to the torture of his life.

He felt her stare on him as his eyes never left the road in front of him. "Aren't you going to ask me what happened?"

He turned his head slightly. "What happened?"

"With what?" she asked innocently, drawing a laugh from him.

He chuckled, "You and that douchebag who shall not be named."

"We broke up. He said it wasn't working for him. Like all of this," she made a gesture with her hands. "I mean, I guess it was headed that way, but he used you as an excuse. He'd been mad since the concert, and he couldn't get over it."

"That's fucked up."

"I know, I tried to tell him that we were close friends and that's it, but he wasn't having it," she sighed.

"Well, he's an idiot who didn't deserve you in the first place," he replied plainly.

"I know, that's what my sister said."

"Your sister is right. I knew I liked her." He raised his eyebrows as she smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "What? He is clearly a coward and was looking to make you the scapegoat for his insecurities. Fuck that guy."

"Yeah," she said unconvincingly.

He reiterated, stealing a quick glance, "He's not worth it."

"I know, but he was like my first real boyfriend. It still hurts even though I knew it wasn't going to last forever."

"Hey, what about Austin? What is he, chopped liver?"

"I guess you're right. I can count Austin as my first boyfriend, but even our relationship is over. Why does everything have to end?" she cried out exaggeratedly with a small laugh.

"Where are we going?" she asked, not immediately recognizing the neighborhood, as he pulled off the exit.

"It's a surprise. One of my favorite places to go when I need to think," he replied, stealing a glance at her. She stared out the open window, the breeze softly playing with her hair. Shit, he was jealous of the wind.

He stopped the car and abruptly got out, running around to get her door. He dragged her out, noticing that even in her outfit of a sweatshirt and leggings and flip flops she still looked as beautiful as ever.

"Sorry, it's a short walk, but once we get over this crest, you'll see…" He pulled her just over a small hill and heard her gasp. The entire Los Angeles skyline was lit around them in the canyons below.

"Wow. The Griffith Observatory."

"Correct. Laura Marano, welcome to the top of the world, and the site where I like to do a lot of reflecting."

She wandered towards the building, hypnotized by the dazzling view before her. He watched as she meandered onto the deck, taking it all in. She looked back at him, waiting for him to join her before linking her arm with his. She leaned over the railing of the deck, her eyes reflecting the twinkles down below. He stood behind her, his hands creating friction against her arms to keep her warm.

"Why did the moon file for bankruptcy?" he whispered. He felt her shiver from the cold.

"Why?"

"Because it was down to its last quarter."

Her lips curled into a big smile. "Astronomy jokes in an observatory. You know me too well. I knew you were the perfect person to call. Thank you for taking me here."

"Anytime."

"Thank you for being there for me."

"Again, anytime you need me. I'm there."

She leaned on her elbows, her face in her palms, looking out at the bustling city below. She sighed silently as he played with a few strands of her hair. He would kill to know what she was feeling, what she was thinking.

"You're right, fuck him."

His mouth formed a shocked 'O.' "Wow, I've never heard you curse."

"He deserves it."

"Good for you."

"FUCK JAKE JONES!" she yelled out into the canyons below.

"You tell him honey!" someone exclaimed from the other side of the deck.

They both laughed and she grabbed his hand, running as fast as her legs would take them back to the car.

She beat him there, his hands resting against the hood, panting heavily as she fought to catch her breath. She moved to get back in the car, but he stopped her. He turned on the car to blast the radio, turning up his iPod. He pulled out the grocery bag and tossed her a can of Italian soda.

"Where did you get this? It's my favorite flavor, they don't sell this like anywhere."

"I know. I picked it up with the Gogurt." And by just picked it up, he meant he researched it on the internet, drove out of the way to a specialty grocery store, then high-tailed it to her house.

"You remembered? I mean, we had it once when we were in Australia. How did you…" she trailed off. He was continually surprising her. He hopped up on the hood and propped himself up against the windshield. He patted the space next to him and she climbed up beside him.

The hypnotic beat of _Sweet Disposition_ filled the somehow quiet night air.

"This is one of my favorite songs," she murmured looking up at the star-dotted night sky.

"Mine too, it's like everyone's favorite. _Oh reckless abandon, like no one's watching you_."

"I feel like I'm in a movie," she said dreamily.

He chuckled, "_Here comes that movie scene, one you hate, so cliché…_"

She bumped her shoulder to his, "Good thing I like clichés." The air was thick, heavy with silence between them. She started to softly sing along again, _"__Songs of desperation, I played them for you_."

He closed his eyes, taking it all in. He loved the sound of her voice.

"Why do you think it resonates so much?" she asked. He opened his eyes slowly to see her staring at him.

"It reminds you of youth or of a first love, first kiss, first time, something new, something fresh. Fleeting moments of love that can be relived for just one second. And _500 Days of Summer_ is a great movie, cliché or not."

"Yeah, and now I can relate to it. Love breakups," she sighed.

"Sorry. I can change the song if you want."

"Nah, I still love it. And now it will forever remind me of this moment every time I hear it from now on," she whispered, her eyes closed tight. He fought the urge to touch her cheek.

"You know you're really deep?" she murmured.

"Shut up," he snickered as he bumped her shoulder.

"What, I mean it. There aren't a lot of guys like you out there. Such a romantic. That is a really good thing."

"There aren't that many girls like you out there either, I hope you know that."

Her eyes were glossy as she looked up to the stars. "Think of all the things we've experienced together. I mean, we've traveled the world with each other, we've visited fans everywhere, we've had the opportunity to cheer up kids in the hospital, we get to live out our dreams. There's no one I'd rather share this experience with."

She leaned over on her side to face him, as he continued to gaze up at the blanket of stars.

"You will never know how much this means to me, Ross." She lay back down, side by side with him, and grabbed his sweaty hand. She didn't mind, in fact, she delighted in it, much more than she ever had before.

"Can I tell you something?" he breathed softly.

She blinked and swallowed hard. "Yeah…anything."

"You promise to keep it a secret?"

She nodded. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. She was nervous. It was one of her many tells.

He glanced over at her profile, her closed eyes, her cute little nose, her plump lips. Her eyes fluttered open to look at his, as he moved slightly closer to her, propping himself up on his arm to look down at her. His lips parted slightly, his tongue moistening his lips in anticipation of that first gentle touch.

Slowly, the bridge started to gap between their awaiting lips. His heart was a metronome, ticking faster and faster.

Buzzzz.

Laura's head whipped up, nearly hitting Ross square in the jaw. She turned her back to him, and he flopped back onto the windshield. She hurriedly reached around feeling for her phone in her pocket, flipping it open and punching the buttons with force. That fucking cockblocking flip phone. He wanted to throw it down Mount Hollywood.

"Hi Dad! Yep, nope, yeah, no." He watched her flustered delivery of contradictions to her father on the other line. "I'm heading home now, yes, Sir. I know. I'm sorry I'm late, I will be home shortly."

He crawled off the hood of the car, his pulse racing.

He'd almost kissed Laura.

He started the engine, it's roar echoing the feelings in his heart. She plopped down in the seat next to his, buckling herself in, and they drove wordlessly until they reached her house.

"I'm really sorry, Ross," she blurted out, running her hands through her hair. He could literally almost see the flood of regret race through her brain. His heart sank through the floorboard of the car, he wished he could run the wheels of his car over it. Then maybe he wouldn't feel as much pain.

"Don't be sorry." He heard himself say the words, but he sure as fuck didn't mean them.

"I'm just so messed up right now. I just don't want-" she continued, the lines etched into her forehead.

"Seriously, Laura. Don't." He didn't mean for his teeth to be gritted. He was glad she had already looked away. He'd rather her not see the disappointment splashed all over his face. She scurried off towards the refuge of her home like a skittish squirrel.

He banged his head against the headrest. This, he and Laura, wasn't going to happen, and it was something that he just had to accept.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, New York-and like the song says, in a New York minute, everything can change. Review!


	12. say what you want to say

_A/N: Sorry this is a bit of a filler chapter, but it'll set the pace for some drama up ahead...I was a little nostalgic for the New York Raura days from earlier this year since Ross is there now promoting TBM. It's just not the same, so this chapter is a little throwback. :/ Thanks for getting me up to over 100 reviews, especially the 20 from the last chapter! They make me write faster, seriously, so keep them coming!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Credits for dialogue go to the writers and creators of Austin and Ally. Song credits to Matt & Kim, Ryan Adams, and Mazzy Star._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

8: say what you want to say

_And love won't play any games with you_  
_Anymore, if you want 'em to_  
_So we better shake this old thing out the door_  
_I'll always be thinkin' of you_  
_I'll always love you though, New York_

_-New York, New York, Ryan Adams_

* * *

"What I would say about Ross is that he's very thoughtful," Laura responded to the interviewer.

'Thoughtful?" he looked at her and chuckled.

"Not thoughtful. I mean, you are thoughtful but that's not what I wanted to say." She fidgeted on the couch next to him. "Well, they always ask me this question and I always say the same thing, that you're a sweetheart, which you are and everyone knows it by now, so I'm changing my answer up a little bit." She gestured with her hands as she talked, a mechanism she used as a distractor. She loved to do interviews, but she had a hard time containing all of her energy.

"Changing it up," he mocked. She gave him a look.

"Anyway, Ross is like, he's very pensive. I guess that's a better word for it. I'm more of the blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, and so I wish I were more like him in that regard."

"Well, you use words well, too Laura, typically a lot of words. She's very talkative, if you hadn't noticed," he teased. His co-star rolled her eyes.

"He's really good making fun of me, as you can tell," she said wryly as he smirked.

"Oh, I thought of something else! He's always doing really nice things, and he's super dependable. And he's so good at cheering people up, he's such a fun guy," she added, softly elbowing him in the ribs.

"Not that again, Laura loves corny jokes and wordplay."

"Well you two seem like you get along very well," the interviewer noted, as Ross smiled with closed lips.

"Well we have spent a lot of time together. We're really close, but we can bicker like an old couple."

"Who are you calling old?" Laura stated with a frown that turned into an infectious laugh.

"What about you, Ross? What would you say about Laura, something that people may not know?" their interviewer continued.

"Well, she's very complimentary obviously, but really, and I say this all the time too, she's so energetic and positive about everything. She brightens up any room she enters and cheers me up even if I'm in the worst mood."

"Aww, Ross. That's so nice. See, he's such a nice person. He's super observant, too, like really aware," Laura added.

"Huh, I have never heard anyone say that about me before. See, she's really good at complimenting. She can go on forever, if we don't stop her." She playfully slapped his arm. "Ha, here's something people might not know, Laura can get super flustered about things, and then she just starts spitting out random stuff."

Laura nodded, "Yeah, when we were first starting, I'd just prattle on and on, and it was like crazy. I wasn't comfortable around him yet, so I'd just talk. He thought I was nuts."

He nodded. "Still think it," he sing-songed. "No, I'm kidding. I just thought it was funny. That's one of our huge differences. It's like when I'm nervous or uncomfortable, I slip into this quiet, aloof thing, and she's the opposite, she tries like to be more extroverted, it's really funny to watch. She like can't not be friendly, you know?"

"Well, do you guys hang out a lot off the set?" the reporter asked.

"Oh yeah, all the time," he stated casually.

"Yeah, we're all super close. I mean, Ross and I just went to see Maroon 5 together a few weeks ago."

"Yes, lots of internet chatter about that."

"Yeah, that's so funny. To me, I was just hanging out with my friend, but anytime we do anything together, it's mistaken as a couple-y thing. Totally not! It comes with the territory of our characters though," she stated.

"The fans are obsessed with you guys," she pointed out.

Laura rolled her eyes, "Oh my gosh, I know. They're super into the whole Auslly thing, which is cute."

"It's a blessing though, that our fans are so invested and so passionate about the characters that it carries over. We're really lucky to have such a great fan base," he continued seamlessly, the perfect PR answer.

"Let's talk about that though, we hear your characters are breaking up? Is this signaling the end of Austin and Ally?"

Laura started, "Not exactly. Both of them really care about each other and their careers, and they didn't want their blooming relationship to affect that."

"I think they're both a little naïve and a little nervous about their first relationship, they're hesitant about hurting each other, so breaking up just makes sense to them…" he stated.

"Although not to anyone who is an Auslly fan," she remarked.

"Yeah, not the most popular breakup. But I mean, we're coming back for another season, so I doubt we've seen the last of Austin and Ally as a couple. At least I hope not," he answered truthfully, his foot fidgeting.

"Ross, you've said in the past that you think they should be together."

"I do, they're Austin and Ally! I mean, I think they're meant to be with each other."

"He's a total sweetheart, I told you. Crazy, right? Such a romantic guy," Laura chimed, leaning her head to the side to admire her friend.

"They just make a lot of sense," he offered quietly.

"You're a romantic guy, as Laura says, does that translate into real life?"

"Nah, I'm busy with the show and touring and all the other stuff that comes with it, no time to take a girl out and do some real wooing."

"What would real wooing entail?" the woman leaned in on her elbows, awaiting his answer.

"Night time picnics. I think he's sort of obsessed with driving around at night and gazing at the stars," Laura answered without thinking. Her eyes slightly widened as she gave up his secret. "Whoops, sorry Ross."

"I think all the little girls in the world just collectively sighed. That's the perfect date," the interviewer sighed. Laura thought she looked like she was going to jump him. It took her a second to refocus, after touching her hair and adjusting her shirt collar. Ross apparently could make everyone hot and bothered.

He blushed bashfully. Laura loved it when he got all shy. "Well, actually my idea of a perfect date is something like Shakespeare in the Park, blanket, stars, a long walk or drive, the whole deal."

"So romantic. Wow. Well anyway, let's talk about these viral videos. Huge hit with the fans."

"Yeah, we always do jam sessions. Everyone on the cast and a lot of our crew play instruments, so it just made sense to film some of them and let our fans go behind the scenes with us to see what it's like to hang out on set," he explained.

"Very interesting song choices, too. You've done covers of the Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, Imagine Dragons, Matt & Kim, Arcade Fire, not what you would necessarily think of from Disney."

"That's all Ross. He has incredible music taste. Everything he likes is great."

"Well, I think it shows the different sides of our personalities. We all are influenced by many artists and groups, and we want to show our love for them, too. I think it opens us up to fans of those bands as well. I've kind of been obsessed with songs that have to do with sleep, and all the songs I've picked have that theme running though them."

"See, he's like so deep and so passionate about music," Laura smiled as he returned a similar look.

"Any plans while you're in New York?"

"We're actually pretty booked up while we're here. Have the upfronts, which is exciting! Lots of promotional stuff, learning to cook some healthy snacks with Daphne Oz, and we have a really cool photo shoot we're doing for _Seventeen_ magazine," Laura stated.

"Yeah, their prom issue," he added.

"Oh, that's a big issue."

"Yeah, super stoked about it," she enthused.

"Ross you've graduated, but Laura, are you planning on going to the prom?"

"I think so, probably with a group of friends," she responded with the mildest hint of sadness.

"Do you have a dress picked out yet?"

"No, not yet, but maybe something will catch my eye on the shoot. I still have time, it's a few months away."

"Plans for after graduation?"

"I'm deferring college for a year, finishing up Austin & Ally. Gosh, it sounds sad to hear that out loud. And Ross has a lot of new R5 stuff coming out, and I guess we can talk about you being in Teen Beach Movie 2, so everyone should look out for that!"

"Congrats, Ross, hadn't heard that, but it's no surprise since the first one did so well."

He laughed, "Yes, and Laura has gotten some work as my publicist apparently. I am going to start shooting during the hiatus of season four. It'll be awesome."

"Will Maia be back as well?"

"No, unfortunately, she's got scheduling conflicts with her show, but this movie has a new plot, new vibe and everything. It's going to be pretty sick."

"Well, it has been a pleasure guys, but we're unfortunately out of time."

"Aww, we were having so much fun," Laura pouted.

"Great to get to talk with you guys again. Wish you continued success on your show. Watch Austin and Ally on Disney. Thanks again, Laura Marano and Ross Lynch."

They were ushered out of the studio and into an awaiting SUV to take them to their next stop. They were both exhausted. They'd been doing interviews all morning, after arriving on the red eye from LA. They'd finished shooting at 8 PM the night previous, and hopped right on a plane. Laura wasn't even quite sure how they'd gotten into the studio, but somehow they'd already done five interviews.

Even though they were incredibly jet-lagged, he thought they did a pretty good job. Their PR directors would be happy that they stuck to the script of how to answer interview questions. He hadn't tripped up at all or alluded to the fact that he almost kissed his co-star the other night. Or how he was super into her and that every minute around her he suffered more and more physical pain.

It did bother him that she was so nonchalant about everything. It was as if nothing had happened or changed between the two of them. As if she hadn't felt the moment between them shift their entire world. He knew that couldn't be true. Maybe she was just better at hiding her feelings than he was.

Or maybe it was the more likely answer, that she didn't share his feelings at all.

Of course, he hadn't brought it up either. He didn't want to ruin their trip by bringing up something that would make her uncomfortable. He had no balls.

One of their assistants recited a schedule from her iPad, and he hadn't heard one word. He just watched as Laura stared out of the window as the streets of New York blurred by. He wondered what she was thinking about, if it was about him. He stared at her perfect full lips. Lips that he almost got to kiss for real. How could she not fucking know how distracting she was to him? For someone so smart, how could she be so oblivious?

"So, a little breather here, then get ready for the Upfronts. Red carpet interviews start at 3 PM, so the car will be here to pick you both up at 2:30. There's an after party, then you guys are free after that. But remember, we have a super busy day tomorrow. Don't go too crazy…Ross. Call time is at 6."

"AM?" he whined.

"They want to get some morning shots before the streets get overrun by tourists."

Great. He had a headache, he would have no time to rest before the Upfronts, and he'd be up at the break of dawn. He would be as fresh as a fucking daisy.

* * *

Laura threw herself onto her hotel bed, facedown into the pile of pillows. She screamed and kicked her legs. It was so frustrating for her to be around Ross. He was so cool and collected about everything when she just came off as a bumbling idiot. And how could she not? They had almost kissed the other night. That was a big deal.

A HUGE DEAL.

She was freaking out. She replayed the moment in her head like a director, looking at it from every angle. Ross had wanted to kiss her and then she basically shot him down. What was wrong with her? Yeah, she had been hurting, but she had a great guy, the best guy, who was there for her. She missed out on the opportunity, be it a one time only rebound thing. And now he acted like everything was fine, while she was falling to pieces on the inside. The window was definitely closed.

This was so different than before, when he had been forced to kiss her for their job. Although those kisses were really good (_really good_), and she was thoroughly grateful that he was her first kiss, it was all business. Her dad had been watching, for goodness sake. It was hard to concentrate on it when she had been so nervous, and they had been over before she even had time to enjoy the moments. But then again, her leg had definitely popped that first time, just like in the _Princess Diaries,_ an underrated movie in her opinion.

But this was completely different. It was something that he had initiated. But, what had it meant? She had been vulnerable, sad, despondent even, and he had still tried to kiss her. Was it because he felt bad for her or was it because he had wanted to kiss her? She bet he took lots of girls out and swept them off their feet with his Ross charm, was this just a move or did he like her? She was so confused. And she was totally over thinking it. She had a tendency to do that.

She couldn't even sleep on the plane overnight, while he was sitting next to her. All she could do was re-run everything in her head, over and over again, torturing herself, watching as he slept peacefully. What if she had made a move? What if she kissed him back? Wasn't this something she had thought about? She had been so nervous when they first started working together because she had a little thing for him, and now she was turning him away?

Maybe she should say something to him. But he hadn't said anything to her. They'd barely had any time alone together since that night, their network chaperone sitting not letting them out of his sight. What if it had been a mistake in his mind and bringing it up would make things super awkward? She didn't want to make any assumptions. What if he wasn't interested at all? That was the more likely scenario. Why would Ross be interested in her when he could get anyone?

And then there was the complication of Jake. He'd been texting her lately, apologizing and admitting that he was totally out of line and jealous. He wanted to get back together, and she wasn't sure of what she should do. She was pretty certain she wasn't going to jump back into a relationship with him or anything, but she _had_ been excited at the thought of going to prom with him…

But really, she just wanted to go to the prom with a date. It was her senior prom and all of her other friends had already been asked. She wasn't feeling that strongly about going with Jake, and to her that was an indication that she really just wasn't that into him. But she didn't want to be the only girl going stag. Had nothing ever happened with Ross, she probably would already be back with Jake, but now she was left wondering what could have been.

Before she knew it, a swift knock on the door signaled that her hair and makeup team had arrived. She bit her nails as her team poked and prodded at her, teasing her hair, applying powder and creams and glosses to her face. This activity usually calmed her before every event, but today she was anxious and it was because of Ross. She was a mess.

By the time she slid into the back of the SUV, her thoughts were a jumble, her stomach in knots. She snuck a glance over at Ross, and their eyes met for a brief second. He smiled a timid smile at her as their PR assistant chatted nonstop. The small gesture calmed her nerves a little. Everything would be fine.

* * *

He made his way down the red carpet, the lights flashing in her face, people shouting his name. He managed to answer all the same questions with some forced enthusiasm, he hoped it didn't seem too rehearsed. He could only answer the question, what makes you different from Austin a thousand times. If only he could liven things up and answer the way he really felt.

_Well, glad you asked. Austin actually has balls and was able to tell the girl he liked how he felt, serenading her and going for that kiss. I can't do that because I'm a coward. Austin's love interest actually shares his feelings, while mine does not. In fact, she straight up turned me down and rejected me._

He followed her down the carpet, watching her move in her tight black dress and black leather stilettos. One of the stage managers led him backstage to sound check for their performance. They were the closing act, performing a few songs from A&A, and one cover that he had chosen.

She was already there sitting in a makeup chair, warming up her voice. She was texting on her iPad mini, oblivious to him walking up behind her.

"Sounds good." She jumped about a foot in the air, then hid the screen of her iPad from him. He could have sworn he saw that she was texting Jake. A surge of jealousy rushed through him, but instead of making him super angry, he felt unnervingly calm.

"I really like the song you picked, Ross. Good choice." Laura checked her mic and straightened out her outfit, fidgeting.

"Thanks. It reminded me of you," he muttered. Why would she be talking to that asshole? Was she back with him? Why hadn't she said anything? He tuned his guitar, strumming the opening chords.

"Oh." She thought of the song lyrics and wondered if he meant that for real.

"Laura."

"Ross."

They both laughed nervously as they spoke in unison. "You first," he offered.

"No, go ahead."

"I, umm, I wanted to talk about what happened the other night." He looked down at the ground.

"Umm...sure. I have to talk to you about some things, too. Now is probably not the best time though. We should probably wait until later?" she gestured towards the multiple people who milled about.

She was back with him, wasn't she? That's probably why she was being so weird and secretive.

She received a text after another. She saw his eyebrows perk up at the sound. One of the makeup artists appeared at her side and started applying more powder. She was distracted, texting back.

"Who are you texting, your boyfriend?" the woman asked with a smirk.

"No, umm, not my boyfriend." His eyes glazed over surreptitiously to the screen, confirming that indeed she was texting Jake.

His makeup lady took a look at the both of them and remarked, "You both look so cute, you know you're matching?" He looked down at his denim and leather jacket, noting its compliment in her leather peplum dress.

"It's all just for show. I'm gonna go set up on stage," he muttered, sliding off his chair.

"Ross, wait up, I'll be done in a sec," she called out, but he was already gone.

That was the thing, Ross was tired of waiting. He couldn't believe that she was texting that dick again. If that's what she wanted, well then fuck it. He couldn't waste his time chasing something that wasn't there. Clearly, she had made her decision and she was going to pick Jake over him. Whatever. There were girls everywhere, wanting to talk to him, wanting to be with him. He was fucking Ross Lynch. It was time he started acting like it.

* * *

A/N: Had to throw Jake back into the mix, y'all didn't think he would go away quietly, did you? Review or at the very least tell me how angry you are :)


	13. we're fated to pretend

_A/N: So I watched TBM, didn't think I was going to because of his hair (I still just can't) and the overall campiness, but I support Ross and thought he did a great job. And I'm glad his A&A co-stars were so supportive as well. I'm just hoping that now that TBM is over, he has a little more time to rest-I feel like he's been working his ass off, and hopefully things will calm a little now. That may have lead me to write the events of this chapter. Sorry in advance...like I said, there's drama to be had with these two. And thanks Jackie is Grey and NeonShoeStrings for your consistent and very insightful reviews, thanks to all for reading and reviewing!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to MGMT, Mazzy Star, and Robin Thicke._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

13: we're fated to pretend

_ Fade into you_  
_ Strange you never knew_  
_ Fade into you_  
_ I think it's strange you never knew_

_-Fade Into You, Mazzy Star_

* * *

They took their spots on the stage, two stools set up side by side for their acoustic performance. Laura loved the Upfronts. It was an opportunity to showcase what was upcoming on the show, and it was basically a fan party where there were lots of little kids who wanted to take pictures and meet them. She loved that. They'd already done two songs, high-energy numbers from the show, to get the kids dancing. Ross had picked out a slow cover to do as their closing song, and she hoped people responded to it as she had. It was older, more obscure, and he had hoped that it would help drive the point home that Austin and Ally were growing up, and so were they.

She could hear the impatient crowd waiting for the curtain to rise. She was nervous, too, but not because of the performance.

Laura had to admit, she hadn't been too familiar with the song before he introduced it to her, but she was in love with it now. It was slow and sultry, like a summer first love or something. It would have a whole new meaning after she sang it with him tonight, of that she was one hundred percent positive. After he had told her that he'd thought of her when hearing the lyrics, she'd taken that as confirmation that he did feel something for her.

Of all the girls he could have, he had actually wanted to kiss her.

Suddenly the texts, the messages, whatever from Jake didn't matter. She just wasn't that into him. It was pretty simple, and she felt pretty dumb for not realizing it sooner. She had been too enamored with the thought of just being with someone that she hadn't realized that she was with the wrong person. Instead, she had overlooked a person who had been there for her all along, someone who really knew her, and who clearly cared about her. She'd thought about all the things he'd done over the years to encourage her growth as a person, support her, and be a good friend to her. She had read all of the signals wrong. What she thought were just acts of friendship were so much more.

She couldn't believe it had taken her this long to realize it.

Well, of course she'd always thought about it, at least she'd always harbored a tiny crush on her co-star, but she had been paralyzed by her fears and not done anything about it. She _really_ was Ally Dawson after all, letting her insecurities get in the way. And even now she wished she had her sister or Raini or any of her other friends to confide in, to run this by, to be reassured that she was doing the right thing. But this was good for her, she just had to stop over analyzing things and just go with it. It was time to let go of the always planning, always worried Laura. It was time to seize the day, seize the moment.

Nothing was going to hold her back anymore. She made up her mind to let Ross know how she felt, and tonight felt like the perfect night to do so. Everyone always thought she was so straight-laced and careful. She always did what was expected of her, but it was time for her break the rules, give in and do what she wanted to do. What better place to do it than in New York, one of the most magical places in the world, one of the best places to fall in love.

Love was perhaps a little premature, but looking at his profile bathed in the soft glow of the stage light, she truly believed that it could be possible. At least she hoped it was. She tried to get his attention before they started, but he just looked straight ahead at the curtain.

The audience cheered as the lights went up, revealing the two on stage. He looked at her and nodded, strumming his guitar slowly. She lifted the microphone to her lips and started to sing, his eyes on her all the while. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel his stare boring into her. At a certain point of the song, she'd almost forgotten there was even an audience. It felt like she was singing only to him, trying to get the message across that she knew the meaning of his song for her.

He rushed off the stage hurriedly, and she couldn't catch him before being flooded by fans. She took what felt like a million pictures, and talked to one excited kid after the other. She guessed her feelings would have to wait for now.

* * *

She reached the after party, searching the crowd for her castmate. She waved hello to some of the other Disney Channel stars milling about, and was about to give in and send him a text when she spied him in a corner of the room. He was surrounded by a gaggle of women, and he looked like he was loving it. They were hanging on his every word, as most girls did.

She marched over to him, and tapped him on the shoulder. He acknowledged her for about a second, "Hey."

She cleared her throat and tapped him on the shoulder again. He turned his head and asked, "Did you need something?"

She was slightly taken aback by his tone. "Umm, well I was hoping that I could talk to you."

"I'm a little busy right now, can it wait?" His voice was stiff, and it wasn't something she was used to hearing. The other girls just stared at her, huffing a bit, mad that his attention was turned elsewhere.

"Yeah, I guess. Come find me later." He had already redirected his focus on his group before she even finished the sentence. She didn't know what that was all about. That was so Ross though. Sometimes, he could be really friendly, then suddenly turn all moody. He was like totally bipolar. She wouldn't have minded, except what she wanted to say was kind of important.

She wandered around to the different groups of people, chatting with old friends, mingling with network people. She was hyper acutely aware of Ross and the fact that a few particular girls didn't leave his side. And he definitely didn't seem to mind them hanging all over him. Of course they were gorgeous, willowy blondes. Typical. He couldn't be bothered to talk to anyone else, and it was starting to annoy her.

She felt herself nodding along to whatever the girl across from her was talking about when she saw Ross slip away. She politely excused herself and followed in quick pursuit.

"Ross!" She ran up beside him and stared at him. "Umm, Ross, hello…"

"Hey." He grabbed his jacket from the coat check and slipped it over his shoulders.

"Hey? Where are you going?" she asked, slightly out of breath.

"Out."

"Were you going to let me know you were leaving?"

"We don't have to be attached at the hip, it's just a job, Laura. That doesn't always transfer over to real life."

"Yeah, I know," she snapped. "I just expected that you would let me know because I told you I wanted to talk to you."

Two girls flounced up to him and grabbed a hold of his arms, one on each. They were wearing the shortest pieces of fabric that could even be called skirts. She couldn't have felt frumpier in their presence if she tried. How they could be allowed to enter an event for children wearing those outfits was beyond her comprehension. They both grinned this Cheshire cat grin, and she felt like punching them both in their smug little mouths.

"We have all of tomorrow to talk. I'm sure whatever it is, it can at least wait until then," he stated with a shrug.

She tried to hide the hurt from her face, but she wasn't convinced she was that good of an actress.

Luckily for her, Garrett, one of Ross's former co-stars and the latest Disney hunk on the scene, emerged from around the corner. "Hey, Laura, Ross. What are you guys up to?"

"Looking for a place to go and chill," Ross answered. They did a little man shake, and Garrett gave her a quick side hug. Ross's eyes flashed for just a second as Laura beamed at the older boy. He was a beautiful distraction from Ross's ugly behavior.

He smiled genuinely at them both, not noticing the tension. "Well, people are headed to the Standard for a private party."

"Oh my god, that's the best rooftop," Girl #1 gushed, swishing her hair to the side.

"Isn't it a little chilly for a rooftop?" Laura asked practically.

"Well they have it heated," Girl #2 scoffed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Laura was sure she wouldn't need a heater from the warmth that was spreading across her face and body. She felt like a child around these people.

"Laura's not interested anyway, she's not really into going to clubs, partying, or having fun," Ross stated matter-of-factly.

That stung like a slap to the face.

That was uncalled for, and she wanted to tell him to fuck off, but that really wasn't like her to do that, so she would take the high road. "Don't speak for me, Ross. Garrett, can I ride with you?" she smiled sweetly, with a quick flutter of her lashes. She didn't know what was going on with Ross, but she sure as hell wasn't going to take him trying to put her in a corner. Garrett looked at Ross, and he shrugged, pretending that her coming along was no big deal. She ignored Ross, as she let the other attractive boy lead her towards the elevator, which they all rode down in silence. She was totally pissed at Ross, and she had no idea why he was so mad at her. He was never mad at her. What had she done to deserve the cold shoulder?

A fleet of SUVs awaited to take them wherever they wanted to go. Nothing too good for Disney stars. She'd lost sight of Ross after they'd climbed into different cars. She was with a bunch of people she barely knew, but the music was too loud and the drinks were flowing too quickly for her silence to be noted. Everyone was having too good of a time to pay any attention to the sullen girl in the corner. She wasn't drinking, she didn't in general, and her sobriety only heightened the fact that she felt in the pit of her stomach that something was very, very wrong with the way Ross was acting towards her.

She stood against the glass railing and stared out over the Hudson River. It was chilly out, and she wrapped her coat tighter around herself. She felt very out of place, like she was the youngest person there. Possibly because she _was_ likely the youngest person there. No one had even blinked an eye as they had taken a private entrance straight up to the club. She had been handed a drink as soon as she walked in, the plume of pot smoke wafting in her face. Drugs, alcohol, sex, excess, if only their fans knew how unlike their characters the Disney kids could be. She used to think she'd be used to this by now, having attended so many parties in LA where this was the norm, but it still shocked her a little bit. She guessed she _was_ a little uptight for being 18.

The crowd was mostly made up of slim model-looking girls sipping cocktails as drunk guys who looked like the embodiment of Wall Street douchebag slobbered all over them. She'd had to fend off a few guys who were way too old, and way too creepy already. It was gross. One of her favorite songs was thumping, although the repetition of Robin Thicke singing "You're a good girl," hammered a steady throb into her head. It was a mistake to come here. She didn't belong here. Maybe if she clicked her heels three times, she'd end up safe and sound in her bed at home, away from here.

It was funny, the night had started so well, and now it had come to this. It really bothered her how he could treat her like shit. Romantic feelings or not, weren't they supposed to be friends? She felt like an afterthought.

He was hidden in a dark corner, sitting in a banquette, while being waited on hand and foot. She'd skulked in another corner and watched all night as waitresses and randoms flirted with him, trying to get the attention of _the_ Ross Lynch. At the start of the night, _she_ had been one of those girls. Her stomach lurched as he licked Girl #2's hand, took a shot, then retrieved a lime wedge from her awaiting mouth. Then he was leaning over her, his arm framing her face, whispering something into her ear. The girl's head tossed back, Ross must be effing hilarious. She continued to giggle as she kissed his cheek. Laura couldn't do anything but look away. It was disgusting.

She headed to the elevator, patiently waiting as the bouncer pressed the button for her. She thought about texting her sister, but then put her phone away. It wasn't even worth the trouble. She was just going to get told that she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up anyway. Vanessa believed in tough love and the truth, and right now Laura didn't want to hear that.

She wanted to curl up into a ball and just drown in her feelings.

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice slurred behind her.

She slowly spun around. "Oh, so now you want me here?"

"I always want you around. You're Ally Dawson, and I'm Austin Monica Moon. You're the sun, and I'm the moon," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What is the matter with you? Why are you being like this?" she asked, exasperated.

His eyes were glassy, and they darted back and forth, not settling on her. "Being like what? Myself? What's the matter with you? You're like sulking in the corner. Stop being so uptight and enjoy yourself."

"How would you know? You're too busy having fun with your new BFFs over there," she muttered.

He ignored her comment, instead he stared at some girls behind her. "Have a drink, we have bottle service."

"I don't drink. What are you doing, anyway? There's like a ton of paps around. What if they see you?" she hissed. The elevator came and went, and the bouncer tried to act like he wasn't listening to their conversation.

"So what if they do? You sound like our fucking PR people. One drink is not going to kill me or my career." He took another sip of his drink.

"I think you've had more than one." She crossed her arms and sighed. She realized that people her age drank and partied and all of that. Hell, her friends from high school were probably doing the same thing back in Cali. She just hated when people got drunk and started acting like assholes, which was what Ross was doing.

"Can you stop being your holier than thou self for once? Don't judge me. I know I'm not perfect like Jake-"

She cut him off. "You know we're over. But thanks for rubbing more salt into that open wound."

"It didn't seem like it from what I saw earlier."

"You don't know what you saw," she gritted her teeth. "Is that what this is about? Some stupid thing you think you saw?"

"What is what about? You shouldn't assume everything is about you."

"What has gotten into you?" her voice broke, and that hit him straight in the chest. "I thought things were changing. I thought… Nevermind…" She bit her lip, staring straight at him, the look of disappointment apparent all over her face. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't much of a crier anyway.

Then all of it hit him all at once. He felt so fucking exhausted and burnt out and tired and over it. Maybe she wasn't with that douche, but the dismayed look on her face told him that she wasn't ever going to be with the douche standing in front of her either.

And it made him terribly sad to be standing there, looking pathetic and drunk and stupid, and he was angry with her. But he was more angry with himself. And it all came rushing out.

"Can't I just fucking have a good time? I work hard, Laura. I'm fucking tired. I fucking tour, and I record, and I shoot the show, and I do movies. I'm always traveling, I'm never home for more than two minutes. I can't keep up with friends or girlfriends or my family. I'm 18. I can't just enjoy myself for one night?" He paced around her, letting his thoughts continue to flow, "Sometimes I feel like everyone is judging me, including you. And I'm doing my best to do what's right for everyone else, but sometimes I just want to do what's right for me. I want to do whatever without someone slapping me on the wrist and telling me that I can't. I want to have a normal life, for just once. Not to have the pressure, not to have things weighing on me."

He ran his hands through his hair. "You know how hard it is to balance all of this shit? I'm on a kids show for fuck's sake. I can't even fuck around with anyone without me being a bad influence. I can't even be with the person I want to be with because it's breaking the fucking rules or something. Not that I'm good enough for her anyway, or that she feels the same way. I can't say shit or do shit without people getting all over me. I'm thankful for what we have and our jobs and the whole thing, but fuck sometimes I wish it were over. I mean, I feel like I'm trapped. I'm not perfect like you Laura. I can't pretend that I live this happy little life where I never curse, and I never want to have sex, and I always do the right thing."

She didn't say anything for a long while, letting his words soak. She hadn't realized he felt that way. She loved working on the show and assumed he did, too. But apparently, it was more of a burden to him.

"You're not going to say something? I lay that all on you, and for the first time in your life, you don't have a comment?" he ran his hand through his hair several more times, making it stick up at all angles. She would've thought it cute if she weren't so pissed off.

"Stop being a dick, Ross. Are you done with your little diatribe? You have no idea how much pressure is on me. It's sometimes worse because I have to live up to this impossible happy, positive image. I want to do all the things you do, I want to be a normal kid sometimes. You think you're such a martyr Ross, that only you have these problems. Guess what, you're not. You're not the only one who feels this way. I want to curse, be with who I want to be with, do what I want to do. You have no clue how much I want that. But I'm grateful for all of this because I know it's not going to last forever. In fact, it's going to be over before you know it, and I don't want to one day wake up and regret anything. I'm not looking forward to when I look back and remember all of the good times that used to be. But right now, this is not one of those times. And what I really want to do is to go back to the hotel, fall asleep and forget about this shitty night."

She turned to the bouncer who was looking everywhere but at the two teens in front of him. "Can you grab the elevator please? I'm ready to go." He obliged and pressed the button.

His face fell, the gravity of her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. God, he was a selfish prick, and she didn't deserve that. He desperately let out a plea, "I'm sorry, Laura. That's just how I feel. There's just been a lot of stuff lately, and I'm just overwhelmed. Please don't be disappointed."

"I'm going to go. I think we just need a little break tonight. I'll see you in the morning." The elevator dinged upon arrival and she stepped inside, facing towards him.

His head hung to the floor, but then snapped up. "Wait, you had something you wanted to tell me, what was it?" he yelled.

"Don't worry about it, it's not important. It never was," she stated sadly as the doors slammed shut in his face.

* * *

A/N: Sorry...you can tell me how angry you are again, I actually really liked the responses last time :)


	14. we're not broken, just bent

_A/N: Sorry for the end of the last chapter, but I think you'll like the end of this one much better. Like I said, in a New York minute, everything can change-you should tell me how you feel about it._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Pink, Scissor Sisters, Ross Lynch, and the Lumineers._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

14: we're not broken, just bent

_Laura, can't you give me some time,  
I got to give myself one more chance.  
To be the man that I know I am,  
To be the man that I know I am._

_-Laura, Scissor Sisters_

* * *

She woke up feeling shitty.

She was surprised she even got any rest at all, but at some point she must have drifted off into a fitful sleep, because she did awaken, sweaty with her sheets all tangled beneath her. Her head ached, her heart throbbed, and her hair was a mess. She was_ so_ glad she got to go take professional pictures for the next few hours. The worst part was that she had to spend the time mugging for the camera with _him_.

She didn't know how she was going to react to seeing him. She hadn't decided how best to confront him about what he said last night. She wasn't the confrontational type, but he really disappointed her. She knew he had to know that.

_He_ apparently was still able to enjoy himself despite that fact. She heard him slip in around 4 AM. Whomever thought it would be a good idea to put them in adjoining rooms deserved to be kicked in the balls. She'd heard the hushed voices and giggles from the other side of the wall and a fresh wave of nausea and sadness washed over her.

The worst was that it was so easy for him to be callous and cold towards her. In the blink of an eye, he could turn on her, switching from best friend to heartless stranger. He made her feel like she didn't matter at all to him, which saddened her to no end.

People didn't spend as much time as they did together without having some deeper feelings for each other, whether it be love, admiration, or respect. She felt none of that last night. It was as if he wanted her to disappear, as if she was some annoying hindrance on his fun.

She hadn't realized that _Austin & Ally_ was a burden to him. She knew he wanted to focus on music and that he was stretched thin, but she assumed that he was happy working on the show. She felt like the show gave her everything. Raini was her best friend, Calum was the big brother she never had, and Ross…well she had almost convinced herself that Ross was something more than just a great friend. These people were her second family, and she would be so sad when it was all over. It sounded like Ross couldn't wait for the day he was done with the show, and done with her.

She couldn't believe she actually thought he liked her. It was yet another silly fantasy of hers. She'd always been told she had an overactive imagination. Whatever. He made it pretty clear that he was interested in anything with two legs. At that point, she hadn't cared what he wanted to do or whom he wanted to do it with.

Although, she did feel empowered by calling him a dick. Everyone always thought she was some sort of mild-mannered wet blanket, but hey, she had worked with Sarah Silverman and the _Superbad_ guys. She could give it back, when she wanted to. She just wished she didn't have to, especially not to someone she cared so much about.

She sat in the leather seat, Pink on full blast. Pink had a ton of angry songs, songs to which Laura could relate because right now she was pissed. _He_ was late. This annoyed her even more. Now he wasn't just wasting his time, but hers as well.

As if on cue, he climbed into the awaiting car. "Morning."

She remained silent. It was childish, but she didn't feel like speaking to him.

"So…last night was pretty awesome."

She did not make eye contact with him, instead sinking down into the leather seat more. She turned up the music so loud she felt her eardrums reverberate.

"Earth to Laura, come in Laura." He waved his hand in her face back and forth. She looked up at him, anger flickering in her eyes.

"What?" she snapped.

Are you fucking kidding me? She wanted to shout at him! He had been drunk, but there's no way he didn't remember what he had said. That would just be too damn convenient.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of her bed this morning," he commented, idly flipping through his phone.

She wanted to scream, but she wouldn't. The silent treatment was much more effective.

"You should've stayed, it was sick. The DJ played some kickass music and everyone was dancing." He lowered his voice, "I was seriously shitfaced though. Could you tell?"

Her eyes rolled upwards to look at him. His hair was perfectly disheveled, his skin flawless. Fuck him, how could he party all night and sleep less than her and still look like he stepped off the pages of _Tiger Beat_?

When she still didn't respond, he snickered with a smirk, "You're so mad."

She wasn't sure if it was the flippant nature in which he posed that statement, or if she was just about done, but she exploded, "Are you serious right now? Do you not remember our conversation from last night?" Now she was furious. He could not play the dumb card with her. There's no way he didn't remember their argument. That would be way too painful, and show that she cared way more about their friendship/relationship/whatever than he did. And she was not willing to admit that to herself.

* * *

Oh Ross remembered every painful moment of the previous night. The elevator door slamming in his face was sobering. He should have chased after her, they could've had that New York moment, where the guy runs after the girl, grabbing her for a passionate kiss in the middle of the street. He had to stop thinking in cheesy romantic clichés; he wasn't the hero in this picture. It would be more likely that he would've looked like even more of an asshole, and she probably would've hit him. And what would he have said to her anyway?

I'm sorry probably would've been a good start.

He had acted like a huge, selfish prick. He had jumped to conclusions, as he was prone to doing, and that anger had blinded his judgment and caused him to push the person he cared about most away. He mocked her for her purity and goodness. He blamed her and their show for his actions and emotions. That was low, even for him.

She was the only person who could really truly understand what he was going through, at least with A&A and Raura. All of the fans wanted so badly for them to be together, heightening the fact that he wanted so badly for them to be together—and when it didn't happen, he just felt so disappointed. Disappointment led him to do stupid shit apparently.

The events of last night only made it more evident that she was better at dealing with life than he was. She was pretty much better at everything compared to him. That obviously included apologizing. He was really shit at that. He was really good at acting as if nothing had happened, hoping that things would just blow over. He knew Laura, he knew how good she was, and he knew that if he persisted enough, she would forgive him. She was that kind of person.

Even though he'd spent the rest of the night drowning himself in other distractions, his mind was full of thoughts of her. He obsessed over every word, sigh and look and it wrenched his heart. He wondered if she even caught the fact that he had thinly veiled a confession of his feelings for her.

It didn't matter, the look on her face said it all. She could never be with a guy like him. And who could blame her, she deserved someone so much better. All of this was his fault anyway. He couldn't be fucking normal. He had to develop feelings for his co-star, someone who hadn't wanted anything to do with him romantically. If he had just kept his feelings to himself, if he had just gone along with life and ignored the fact that he liked her, none of this would have happened. Things would be uncomplicated and they could be friends. But because he was an idiot, now things were different and they'd probably never be the same again.

Before he could answer her, she had already closed her eyes again, turning away from him. He should have left her alone, to let the anger simmer down to a slow boil. But he couldn't, because he was Ross and because he was an idiot.

He kicked her foot, drawing a glare from her. "I'm sorry I was a douche last night. I was drunk, I didn't know what I was saying. I know I kind of ignored you, and that was really shitty of me, but I'll make it up to you, let's go to the Empire State Building tonight?"

"It's just a job Ross, we don't have to be attached at the hip. Go by yourself," she tossed his harsh words back at him. She felt it insulting that he could just go back to trying to be friends. "Or better yet, why don't you just find someone else to hang out with, seems there were lots of willing victims."

"What's that supposed to mean?" It sounded like she was jealous, which was his intent. In all honesty, he'd only hung out with those girls because he was pissed about their whole situation going nowhere. He wasn't interested in any of them, although they were hot and she was right, they were certainly willing. It was kind of a bonehead idea on all accounts because if his publicist or his parents had found out his afterhours pursuits—he'd be dead.

"Nothing," she muttered.

"I said I'm sorry. I was a mess last night, even more so than usual, so I am sorry if I offended you. I've been going through some shit lately, and it just kind of all came out. You don't deserve that. You're like the closest person to me that isn't my family, I mean you are like family because you get me. I'm sorry if I laid all my shit on you, and there was probably a better way to do it, but it happened, so can we move on?" he asked with a loud sigh.

"Move on? Ross! I can't just un-hear what you said to me. I don't believe that you don't remember what you said last night."

"I couldn't remember my name last night."

"That's so convenient. Well let me fill you in. You're tired, caged in, burdened by the show, and you can't wait until it's over. You resent the fact that I'm some quote unquote perfect person while you can't do what you want."

"I didn't mean it. I say a lot of shit that's stupid. You know that, please don't make this a big deal."

That was infuriating. "Whatever, Ross. I'm just not in the mood. I'm tired, you were super loud last night when you got in, and it totally interrupted my sleep cycle."

"Are you sure you're not on another cycle right now?" he snapped, without thinking. He was a dumbass.

She rolled her eyes, giving him a mental fuck off. "Clearly you didn't think at all about being a disruption. You didn't think at all."

The car stopped and they both bolted to their respective hair and makeup areas for the shoot. It was cold as shit and drizzling a bit, but her anger warmed her. Laura plastered a smile on her face even when it was the last thing she wanted to do. The magazine was filming the photoshoot to use for their website, and so they both had to act all cheerful and energetic.

Best. Acting. Ever.

She couldn't even enjoy being put in the poufy dresses because she wanted to stab him. Ross walked out, wearing a gray tuxedo jacket and black slacks with no tie and the collar of his crisp white shirt loosened. Damn him for looking so good.

"Hey gorgeous," he said softly. He whipped out a single red rose from behind his back and offered it to her timidly, giving her the full on puppy dog eyes. The photographers swarmed around the two, taking test shots.

"You know that doesn't work on me," she sulked. "And I know you stole that from the prop cart."

He gave her a sheepish look. "Will a sincere apology work? I hate having you mad at me, Laura. I'm an asshole, I'm a dick, I know that. You didn't deserve any of that yesterday, and it was completely my fault. You're right, I lost my shit and I took it out on you. As far as all of the other stuff, I've just felt so burnt out lately, and I don't blame you or the show or anyone else, but I lashed out, and I guess I said those things because I do know you can relate to what I'm feeling and I trust you. I know you understand where I'm coming from. So, maybe if we can call a truce, we can hang out later tonight and just talk about stuff?"

She sighed. She hated being mad at him, too, but nonetheless it felt good to get things off her chest, too. And she did know how he felt. It was hard to adhere to the strict rules all the time, trying to hide their true lives and personalities. Especially for him, he was pulled in multiple directions at all times. She only had A&A and school, and sometimes she felt like she confined. All wasn't forgiven, but she guessed she could how he could struggle.

"You look great," she offered a begrudging peace offer, unable to stop herself from complimenting him.

His mouth broke out into a huge grin, knowing full well that she would forgive him. He hugged her close as she reluctantly returned the hug, her resolve slowly breaking. Laura could not resist a good hug.

The photographer's assistants pushed the two together for their first shot, placing Laura's arms around Ross's neck and his around her tiny waist. He looked down at her petite form, ruffling the top of her head.

"Ross!" she shrieked, the familiar sound of her laugh making him smile.

Their height difference was comical to him sometimes. The hair guy gave him a look of death as he sheepishly looked away. Whoopsies. They'd put in her a sexy one-shouldered pink gown and played up her big, dark eyes with some smoky eye makeup. Her hair was super long and wavy, and looked so impossibly soft. How could he not touch it?

"You look amazing, I like this," he let his finger filter through her hair.

She hated him for looking so handsome, but she made a mental note to suggest to their writers that they should put Austin in more suits. _Ally _would totally be into that. "It's fake."

"Yeah, I know," he laughed. She cracked a small smile. "Hey, Laura, what did the male chemist say to the female chemist?"

"What?"

"I've got my ion you." She tried to hold it in, but she burst out laughing. They way she responded to his cheesy jokes made his heart flutter, he had to do whatever it took to make her not be mad.

He gave her a high five, at least they were back to some semblance of normal.

"Are you still mad?"

"I wasn't mad," she retorted.

"Oh, okay, yeah," he replied, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Well, just so you know, nothing happened with those girls last night. Trust me, I wouldn't have done anything with those girls without inviting you in to join the fun," he winked.

"Gross, Ross," she shook her head.

They did some serious shots, then some fun ones, with the two laughing at their own private jokes. He twirled her around, their laughter echoing throughout the set. The photographer called for the next shots and Laura started to walk back to the dressing room when Ross grabbed her arm.

"Laura, I'm really sorry for last night."

"I forgive you, I guess," she stated begrudgingly, the fresh hint of bitterness still present.

"Friends?"

"Maybe, depends on what other jokes you have up your sleeve."

"How did the rockstar keep cool?"

"How?" she asked wryly.

"By sitting next to his biggest fan."

She grinned. "Okay, friends...and partners, forever," she teased, using her Ally voice.

He rolled his eyes. "_Well, there's no way I can make it without you. Do it without you, be here without you. It's no fun when you're doing it solo, with you it's like whoa…_"

"We _are_ better together."

"_Sometimes, I get in my own way. I need someone to say, "Hey, what are you thinking?" Like pieces of a puzzle, without each other, we're in trouble. Trouble._"

"Hey, you missed a few lines," she objected.

"_Correct me if I'm wrong._"

"This is not a love song," she said with the slightest hint of sadness.

"Last shot, guys!" The two made their way outside, Laura wearing a dramatic black gown that felt more like an Oscar dress than a prom dress, but she wasn't complaining. Her hair fell loosely down her back and she felt sexy. They were shuttled towards the foot of the Manhattan bridge. The morning was still hazy, a light mist blanketing the bridge.

The pictures were captured with the two holding onto each other, Laura pulling Ross's shirt towards her, with the bridge serving as a dramatic backdrop. God, it was romantic.

"Hey, look, we're standing on Canal and Bowery." He pointed at the intersecting street signs.

"Like the Lumineers song we did."

He closed his eyes, remembering the way she looked that day, dancing with him on set. "_Took a bus to Chinatown, we'll be standing on Canal and Bowery. She'll be standing next to me…_"

Ross took out his iPhone and snapped a selfie of Laura and him, capturing the moment forever. They both sat down with the reporter, as a camera crew filmed a short interview.

"You two really looked like naturals for the shoot."

"Aww, thanks. You all did such a great job with the outfits and the sets, it was amazing, so super excited to see the pictures. So awesome. Thank you so much!" He was glad to see peppy Laura reappear.

"Well you looked great, so the pictures will look incredible. Let's get down to some questions," the writer directed. "So, Laura, we hear your prom at your high school is coming up…"

"Yes, my senior prom, I'm really excited about it!"

"Date or group of friends?"

"For me, definitely group of friends. I think that's the most fun way to spend prom, it's one of your last hurrahs together. Super excited."

"What about you Ross, did you go to your prom?" she asked.

"It's funny that you ask that because we are going to be shooting a prom episode coming up that I'm pretty excited for our fans to see."

"Oh, it's going to be so good," Laura chimed in.

"Yeah, I never went to a real school, I was homeschooled, so never been to any school dances. This is kind of my prom I guess, so thanks for making it happen."

"Are Austin and Ally going to end up together at the prom? Your characters are no longer together, so will we be seeing some rekindling of their romance?"

"Ooh, good question. You know, people are going to have to tune in to see what happens, but if you're following along, there's a new love interest who has just been introduced, so there's a bit of a love triangle thing going on. Super dra-ma," Laura answered.

"Okay," the reporter laughed. "Dream prom date?"

"Oh, George Clooney, hands down, done. Love him. Can't even talk about it. Obsessed." She put her hands up and ducked her head down, flustered at just the thought of her celebrity crush.

"I hope you meet him one day, and I hope I'm there to record it and then watch it over and over again," Ross teased with a straight face.

"Ross, what about you? Dream prom date."

"Oh, Laura Marano, of course." Her cheeks flushed bright pink as she hit him on the arm.

"Oh my gosh, stop it! Don't even," she chuckled, pushing him away.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Probably Nina Dobrev. She would be a really fun date. "

"Yeah, and she's gorgeous, so pretty. Good pick, I approve."

"Oh, I'm glad you approve, thanks Laura," he replied sarcastically.

"Your photo shoot was based on some great Hollywood love stories, what are your favorites?"

"Romeo & Juliet. The 1968 version. Most romantic movie ever."

"Ross loves romantic movies, and he is obsessed with that one. My favorite is basically anything with Hugh Grant or Colin Firth in it, so like _Bridget Jones's Diary_ or _Love Actually_. Love them."

"Those are both so romantic."

"We've got the whole spectrum covered. You have to still see _Love Actually_, by the way," she pointed out to him.

"You haven't seen it?" the girl asked, surprised.

"Everytime I sit down to watch that movie, some interruption comes up. I swear, I've tried to watch it like five times, I'm destined not to watch it."

"No, I'm making you, it's so good. Love the Kiera Knightley part. A-ma-zing."

"Oh, she's in it? I'm gonna watch it tonight, then." She laughed.

"So what else is up coming on _Austin & Ally_?"

"They're not together anymore, but there's still a lot of drama coming for the two of them. They like each other, but it's complicated because they are working together and going on tour, so that makes things a little more difficult. And there's a lot of cool music happening, so that's kinda awesome."

"Don't ruin it for them, Laura, everybody has to watch. There are a lot of fun surprises coming up, and a lot of great new songs from both Austin and Ally. It's really fun," he said.

"Well thank you guys so much for being here. It's going to look amazing, guys, thanks again."

They both said their goodbyes and made their way back to their awaiting car. Ross's eyes were glued to his phone. He helped her into the SUV and sat beside her.

"We should go to the Empire State Building tonight," she suggested

His eyes flickered to hers. "Are you sure? Only if you feel up to it, we've had a long couple of days."

"No, I'm down. Just let me take a little nap and then I'll be ready, probably around 6 or so? Just knock."

She tousled her hair and wrapped her jacket around her body when she received a text from Ross.

_Come down to the lobby._

She typed back,_ Ok, what is happening?_

_Just come down to the lobby, don't ask questions_

The elevator opened and she walked out, looking for the familiar mop of blond hair. Instead, she saw a man dressed in a black suit with a sign that looked just like the _Austin & Ally_ theme credits with her name: Laura Marano.

She hesitantly walked up to him, "Hi?"

"I'm your driver, I'll be taking you to meet Mr. Lynch. Right this way."

She stalled, she wasn't getting in a car with some weird guy with a sign with her name on it. What if he was a kidnapper or something? Her phone beeped with a text from Ross.

_Get in the car, it's legit._

Okay, maybe they were becoming psychic. She followed dutifully behind, wondering what this was all about. They drove slowly though Times Square, heading east, and the anticipation was killing her. They winded down Lexington, the early evening crowd rushing about. They stopped right in front of a building and he pulled the door open. She stepped out and looked up.

"Welcome to the Empire State Building, miss. Have a good night."

"Thanks."

She rode the 118 stories up, her stomach in knots. Why was he being so cryptic? The doors opened and she stepped out into the breezy night. There were a few people milling about and she followed some of them out onto the observation deck. She walked around, looking out at the sun setting over the Manhattan skyline, the wind whipping her hair about. She felt a tap on her back and startled, she turned to see Ross.

A smile spread widely across his lips as he saw her shocked face. He held up a sign that said, "Will You Go To the Prom With Me?"

* * *

A/N: You're welcome.


	15. turn me on with your electric feel

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and all the new people who are reading and reviewing! Think we can get to 200 with this one? You might like the end of this chapter, and you should tell me about it if you do. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to MGMT and Greg Holden._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

_15: turn me on with your electric feel_

_What came next was what I didn't expect, _

_You might say she swept me off my feet._

_And there was more upset,_

_But certainly no regrets,_

_Of the night we met within those streets._

_And from that moment on,_

_My life would never be the same_

_-She's Got Something, Greg Holden_

* * *

"Are you serious?" Her brow furrowed. Not the reaction he was hoping she'd have.

"Will you go to the prom with me?" he repeated, starting to grow inpatient. He shook the sign back and forth.

"Say yes, honey, he's cute!" an elderly woman quipped as she walked past.

Laura laughed. "Oh my god, what is happening? Like where am I right now?"

"Laura, you didn't answer my question. I would like to take you to your senior prom."

"You really don't have to." She bit her lip nervously.

"I want to, can you stall more?" he asked, tossing his hands in the air.

"I just…" She hedged for a second, enough to make him falter a bit in his confidence. She couldn't be that mad at him still, could she? He had poured on the charm during the photoshoot and the interview, and thought he'd made pretty good amends. Most girls would be putty in his hands by now. Laura wasn't like most girls, that was one of the reasons he liked her. He was by no means in the clear at all, but she had at least seemed placated by his actions, and she no longer looked like she wanted to strangle him. Girls loved big gestures; he learned that from the love whisperer himself.

"I would love to go to the prom with you, Ross Lynch."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "There you go, right answer. I thought you were going to say no for a second." He pulled her in close for a hug, and she shook her head, thinking of how surprising he could be. She also thought of how quick a 180 they had turned from the previous night, which made her a little uneasy.

"And deflate your preposterously large ego? Of course not. Who could say no to an offer from Ross Lynch?"

"That's right. Don't you forget it, Miss Marano."

"Thank you for asking me."

"I know I'm probably not your first choice, but I gotta be better than no one," he reasoned with a smirk.

"Barely," she stated wryly as he clutched his chest. "Well, thanks. It's really nice of you. Are you sure you want to go to a high school dance? It has the potential to be kinda lame."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't downplay it. I know you're like bouncing around inside, excited to go. I know you don't think it's lame. Besides, it's an American institution, I should go to at least one. You've already been once, don't deny me my rite of passage."

"Okay, but that means you gotta go the whole nine yards," she replied, poking him in the chest for emphasis. "Limo, tux, corsage, group picture with my friends."

"Afterparty in a hotel room? Holding back your hair as you're puking in a toilet?" he winked as she pushed him playfully. "Of course, I want the whole prom extravaganza experience. You know I don't do shit halfway."

"Okay, I'm holding you to it."

He gave her a suspicious look, "You seem skeptical."

"No, I'm happy. I actually think I'm a little shocked, but excited at the same time," she admitted. "It'll be a blast. Raura prom."

"Raura prom. I like the sound of that."

She texted her sister and a few of her friends the news, receiving varying responses of "OMG" and "Yay!," which made her feel a little better. She knew that there was no way anyone outside of their inner circle could find out though, or else the two of them would be pounded with a barrage of Raura comments, tweets, etc. She wasn't quite ready for that.

She contemplated what this all meant, as he ran around the observation deck, looking through the telescopes and marveling at the view. He looked like a little kid, running about. She definitely liked the fun, silly carefree Ross better than the cocky, too cool for school wannabe grown up Ross. He grinned as he pointed out the sights to her. She should be feeling the way he was feeling. Even though she told him she was excited and happy, there was something nagging at her. Something that wasn't right. It wasn't that she didn't want to go with him, because she definitely did. That was the thing. She wanted too much to go with him, the feelings that had been pushed aside from days past started to push towards the surface. She refused to let them come up. She wasn't going to fall for that trick again.

It was dangerous to fall into that trap. It was too easy to get jealous, there were too many feelings that could be hurt. She and Ross had to strictly remain friends.

It was just too complicated to add feelings to the mix. She had been sure he'd liked her. Positive. And maybe he had, but then he'd acted like a dick, and she hadn't forgotten how that felt. The stuff he said, the way he treated her, it was too much for her naïve heart. He made her feel like shit. She couldn't take any more disappointment from him. It was better if they never started anything at all rather than have it end in flames. Why ruin a perfectly good thing? It meant too much, and there was too much at stake if things went badly.

She glanced over at him and noticed his stare on her. She smiled wistfully. It was almost if they were thinking the same thing. Maybe they were.

"Hey, you wanna go?" he held out his arm and she took it.

"Where?"

"Anywhere. Let's just go. When else will we get this opportunity?"

They walked, talking, laughing about random things. He had an endless supply of silly jokes that made her crack up. The other people around must have thought she was crazy, but she was practically crying. It was nice to be able to be comfortable around him again. She was just looking too much into things, it was so much more low stress and simpler to just be friends. Nothing else, no expectations or weirdness. It was so much better this way. Maybe they should take cues from their characters more often.

She disregarded the fact that they both felt like they were ignoring the huge elephant in the room.

They walked arm in arm, as she shivered a bit. He took off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. His scent blanketed her and she felt warm instantly.

"Better?"

"Thanks, much."

"We should look for something to eat," he stated, rubbing his growling stomach.

"Well then should we catch a cab? There's this really good Italian place on 2nd that Calum suggested."

"No, why don't we just see what we can find up here, we should explore. Live in the moment, Laura." The two ambled along 6th avenue, aimlessly heading towards the direction of their hotel. A familiar smell struck Laura and her stomach rumbled.

They looked at each other, "HOT DOGS." Ross pulled out his wallet and purchased two for them, smothering his in the signature tomato sauce. He turned, looking around for her, spotting her seated on the steps of the NY Library. Of course she would. He took a moment to appreciate how perfect she looked in her leather top and tights. The sexy Laura look. He approved. He sat down beside her and handed her the foil-wrapped hot dog.

He took a big bite, "Mmm, so good. I'm starving." The tomato sauce dribbled down his chin and she caught it with a napkin. "Thanks. See this is all we need, $5 and a little conversation. YOLO, Laura, YOLO."

She rolled her eyes. They sat in silence, savoring their impromptu dinner picnic on the steps as people filled the city sidewalks in front of them. Rarely did either of them get to stop and enjoy these little random moments. It was nice.

"Why'd you ask me to the prom anyway?" she blurted out.

"Why do you sound so shocked that I would want to?"

"Because, you're Ross Lynch, international superstar. I don't know."

"Yeah, and you're Laura Marano, so what? You answered that question today about going with a group of friends and I just thought you sounded like you really wanted to go with a date, and I thought that it would be fun."

"Girls hearts are breaking everywhere, I'm taking Ross Lynch to the prom." She hesitated before confessing, "You know, your asking me kind of surprised me. After what you said last night, about feeling like I judge you, and resenting me. I don't want you to feel like you had to ask me to make things up to me."

He shook his head. "Are you going to bring this up right now?" He got up abruptly, starting to walk away, being the avoidant teenage boy he was. She followed, not letting him off that easily. She may have forgiven him acutely, but that did not mean that she didn't still harbor some residual anger.

"Look Ross, you wanted to talk. And I want to talk about this."

He shook his head. "Laura—why do we have to ruin a perfectly good night?"

"Because you ruined my perfectly good night last night. Payback's a bitch," she replied, standing her ground.

He sighed, blowing air up towards the hair that was swept over his eyes. "I'm sorry, what else can I do to make this better?"

"Well, I want you to mean it, Ross. Just so you know, I'm not judging you. No one is. I would never do that. I don't like that you think it's like you against the world. We're all in this together. We're supposed to support each other and help each other."

"Maybe you don't think that you judge me, but it's true. The look on your face when I do shit like what I did last night? That's judgment. I didn't do anything that one of your friends back home wouldn't do. Anything Jake wouldn't do. That any 18 year-old guy wouldn't do. But because I'm Ross Lynch, or rather because I'm property of the Disney channel, it's some horrible thing."

"You're right, guys do that stuff all the time. It's just that when you know a person, likely really know them, and you see them act in a way that they don't usually act, it's surprising. Ross, I don't like seeing you act like player-hook-up-with-random-skanks guy, but honestly, that didn't bother me as much as the fact that you were treating me like shit." The anger flashed in her eyes, and she averted them from his.

This was the third time he'd heard her curse. First time was because of Jake's douchebaggery, the last two times it was because of his. He wasn't pleased he was winning this battle of who was the worse d-bag.

"Maybe I am like that all the time, and you just don't see that side of me, because I'm not allowed to show it. Our fans are the same way. If I say shit it's taken out of context, if I don't say shit, I'm being ungrateful. I can't win in any situation. I can't make everyone happy. I definitely can't make you happy," he retorted, the comment laced with underlying bitterness.

"I don't need you to make me happy. I need you to be my friend. I need you to treat me like I'm your friend, which means treat me with respect. I don't expect you to be perfect, no one does. So don't try. Just try and make yourself happy."

"Oh, that's easy for you to say. You're like always positive and happy. You deal with the pressure better than I do. You have that other life that you can escape to. My other life is more work. And I look like a dick next to you by comparison always because our personalities are different."

"No one expects you to be me. Trust me, no one wants that. That's why we work, we're different and we have this push and pull relationship. I love that about us. The fact that we can make fun of each other, and you can call me a dork, and I can push your buttons and make you get all competitive. And the fans clearly love you because of who you are."

"Do you know how hard it is to be around you sometimes?" he asked sadly. He quickly added, "I come off as a douchebag all the time next to you. You literally have to tell people in interviews that I'm a nice guy, because people perceive me as an asshole."

_Not to mention that I've had an unrequited crush on you for the past year. Not to mention that I can't stand to see you pop up on my twitter or instagram or whatever because that means I'm not with you at that moment of time. And it kills me. It kills me that you can go and have a normal life, with a normal boyfriend that isn't me._

Her heart clenched. "Well, it's hard for me to be around you sometimes, too. And I hate thinking that."

"Why is it hard for you?" They'd reached the edge of Central Park, and she solemnly walked towards a park bench and seated herself, contemplating just how she would word her next thought. He sat down gingerly next to her, waiting.

Her voice was small and it made him realize how young they both were in that instance. They were barely adults. It didn't feel like it. She started, her words slow and deliberate, "Because sometimes it feels like you think you're better than me, than us, than _Austin and Ally_. Like you're too cool for school or something."

Something in her head was telling her to stop talking, but she couldn't. If she wanted him to be honest with her, she had to tell him the truth as well. It had to be a two way street.

"I don't—" he started, but she put her hand out to stop him.

"Just listen. I'm not jealous, I swear, but because you have all of these different opportunities, it feels like you're kind of walled off from the rest of us because of your schedule and different appearances. I feel like we haven't hung out together as much as we did in the past. It's more Calum, Raini and I, and then Ross. And that sucks because I wish it could be us again. I know it's not your fault, and I hope that it's not on purpose, but it just feels different. It feels like you're pushing me away. We used to be closer, but lately I feel like we hardly even talk. And when we do, I feel like you're holding back. Or you're not wanting me around because it feels like I'm like preventing you from having fun or something."

He wanted to tell her_: Because we don't. Because I am. Because I can't. Because it hurts to look at you sometimes. _

"The fact that I could make you think that means I'm an asshole. You have no idea, Laura. No idea."

"Make me understand it then."

"I can't."

"I know you like to paint the picture that you're some sort of dick, but I don't believe that you are. I know you're not."

"Well, you can't expect things to always stay the same Laura. I mean, you had a boyfriend for past few months. One who was super jealous about the time we spent together, you can't expect that things won't change because of that. If we're gonna talk about pulling away or hardly talking, you have to know that played a part of it. And that's normal, people evolve."

_And they get so fucking jealous of your boyfriend that it is unbearable to be around you._

She didn't have a response to that statement. She knew both guys didn't care for each other, but maybe she had some fault in affecting her relationships with both by wanting things to be exactly the same. She sighed, "I just wish you didn't want it all to be over. Don't you like being on the show? Being apart of this thing?"

"I do, I do love it. I'm sorry. I meant it, but I didn't. Do you know what I mean? All I know is that over the past few months, I've been living out of a suitcase with no real normalcy, and I've felt so incredibly tired and lonely. You may have an idea, but I don't think you do. I love you guys, I love the show, I realize that it's given me all of these great opportunities, R5 has blown up because of it, and I will forever be grateful, but sometimes it all just feels like too much."

_Not to mention that every day I'm on set, I just realize how I can't be with you. _

He took the easy route and let her think that the reason he wished A&A was over was because he wanted to escape the confinements of the show and network. It was much easier than letting her know the truth, which was that every day on set with her was tortuous. She made it abundantly clear that she didn't want him in the way he wanted her to want him.

Once the show was over, he wouldn't have to see her everyday. Once the show was over, he could move on without her. Her absence would make it worse for a little while, but one day, someday, maybe he would forget about them. Time apart made everything less painful.

"So, what are you saying, that you're just done?" she questioned.

"No, I'm not done and I'm not saying it isn't my priority, but you have to know that it is going to end one day soon. Maybe it's me, but I feel like we have to start moving on, growing up. I mean, R5 is going to be touring nonstop, and I'm going to do _Teen Beach Movie 2_, and there's like a ton of stuff happening."

"So why can't we enjoy what we have for as long as we have it?"

"I'm not saying that shouldn't. But we're 18, Laura. We can't be on a kids show forever. We can enjoy it while we can, and then when it's done, we can remember how awesome it was."

It made her deeply sad to hear him say what he meant. She was glad he had opened up to her, but in her mind, it just reinforced the fact that he couldn't wait to end the thing that was most important to her. She was lying to herself if she thought that he wasn't a part of why she loved coming to set every day. The fact that he didn't care that their show was ending showed her how much he cared about them. Which was not much.

"Well, I'm glad we talked about all of this. I didn't know that you really felt this way before this weekend and now I have a better idea of where you're coming from."

"Don't be mad," he begged softly.

"No, I just wish that you could see the things the way I see them. I don't think we'll have anything like this ever again, Ross. We'll go on to further our careers, I know that we'll all do different things, but I'm not sure we'll have anything as special as right now."

"Maybe we won't. So instead of fighting, and rehashing a bunch of shit, we should focus on enjoying ourselves. I'm sorry for making you upset, Laura. It was never my intention. I appreciate you listening to me though. I've never told anyone exactly how I feel about things, not even my family. It is a lot overwhelming and I do feel like everyone, even they, are pulling me back and forth, and maybe I do need to speak up and tell people I need a break when I need one. It's hard to do because everything is happening so fast, people expect a lot of shit, and I know that the popularity won't be there forever, but for everyone's sanity, maybe I should ease up a little. So maybe going to prom will help me feel more normal?"

"Well, I'm glad you trust me. And you can come to me with anything, you know that."

"Thanks."

"Will you promise me something?"

"Sure."

"You have to promise me that you're not going to forget about me when you become this huge recording artist, traveling around the world, selling out stadiums," she insisted with a small laugh.

"I don't think I could if I tried," he said with a sad smile. "We need dessert." He pulled her up off the bench.

She put her hand on her hip. "Way to change the subject."

"I don't want to spend the rest of the night dwelling on this."

She sighed, "Fair enough. There's a bakery a few blocks from here. They have the best cupcakes."

"Are you okay walking in those shoes?" He looked down at her high-heeled boots.

"Yeah, I'm good, let's go. I won't make you carry me. Still feel bad about that episode." He smiled and followed as she led the way.

The aroma of butter, flour and sugar filled their nostrils as soon as they opened the door to the brightly lit shop. The display case was filled with pastries and pies and cookies. They both looked forward to something sweet to end their night of sourness.

"You got dinner, let me get this." He watched her against the pastel backdrop. Everything was delicate and sweet; she fit right in. She returned with a brown paper bag and held up a cupcake to his face. He took a bite, his eyes closing in pleasure.

"That's good. Wow, that's really good."

"It's Vanessa's favorite, we always come here for breakfast when we're in New York together."

"I'll have to remember that for the future. Maybe they can make Vanessa and me a wedding cake one day."

"The way to her heart is through her stomach," Laura murmured before they both let the conversation lull. The bright lights of the marquis and buildings lit up around them as they continued to walk along in silence. To passersby they probably looked like the perfect teenaged couple. Neither felt like it. Even though they'd aired out most of their feelings, there was still a cloud of resentment between both teens.

Ross was the first to break. He hated awkward silence. "What did the grape say when it got smashed?"

"What?"

"Nothing, it just let out a little wine," he stated.

"Oh my gosh." She let out a big laugh.

"Jesus, Laura. You are so ridiculous."

"You're funny. Own it Ross, you're funny. I'll miss those jokes one day."

"I'll text them to you."

"It won't be the same."

"Maybe not."

They reached their hotel, riding up in the elevator. They both checked in with their wranglers to ensure that everyone knew where they were. Ross walked her slowly to her door, making sure she entered safely before sticking the key into his own door. After she shut the door, he walked into his room, taking off his jacket and throwing it on a chair. He sat on his bed, kicking off his shoes.

He lay there for a little while, thinking about their conversation. He'd never gotten as deep with a girl as he had with Laura. He had never felt comfortable doing that with anyone. He'd never cared enough about anyone to let them in, and he'd never trusted anyone to entrust them with his deepest thoughts and secrets, even if they made him look less than delightful. And he'd never known anyone to actually care enough about what he thought to listen. He had to admit it to himself though, he wasn't completely honest with her. He'd hidden the most important piece of the puzzle from her. He couldn't believe that she still didn't know how he felt about her.

He crossed his room, throwing open the door connecting their two rooms together and rapped hard on her door. She opened it, wearing a way-too-thin-for-him-not-to-look-there beige t-shirt and red polka dot sleep shorts. She was so fucking cute; he could die. He might die, after he said what he had to say.

"Hey. What's going on, Ross?" she asked, her forehead etched in confusion.

The words rushed out of him, this was not the time to think things through. He was tired of thinking about it. He was going to do something. "Is this how it's going to be? Can we step out of _Austin and Ally_ world and talk about us? Can we just cut all the bullshit? We almost kissed like weeks ago, and it's all I can think about. And it kills me that we've never talked about it. That we've just gone on pretending that it didn't happen. We pretend that all of this shit doesn't exist between us. The reason I've been acting like such a dick? The reason it seems like I can't be near you? That I don't want to be around you? That I have been distant? Do you really think it's because I don't care about you?"

"I don't know," she answered weakly.

"Laura, it's because it physically hurts me to stand in front of you and pretend that I'm fine when I'm not. I haven't been fine for a long time. All of that shit about the pressure and feeling trapped is all just, whatever. Can we just acknowledge the fact that all of this," he gestured around himself, "is because of you?"

She didn't say anything, and for a moment he was scared she was going to slam the door in his face. He mentally prepared himself for the eternal heartbreak he was about to suffer. Why wasn't she saying anything? Her face was blank, showing no emotion at all. What was she thinking? She was literally killing him.

He was about to yell, "Just kidding!" and run back to his room, when she reached up, pulled his face to hers, connecting with him, pressing her lips to his, hard.

* * *

A/N: Review!


	16. more than just a dream

_A/N: Thanks for getting me over 200, most reviewed chapter so far! Sorry if I'm not able to response to the reviews, but I do appreciate them. A little bit more M with this chapter, so read at your own discretion. It's Beach Bums & Bling as well as Teen Choice Awards tonight, so here's to a Raura/Auslly filled Sunday. I need it, having some severe writer's block without new Raura inspiration. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Fitz and the Tantrums, Bloc Party, and One Direction._

_Rating: T to M for language and content_

**Everlong**

_16: more than just a dream_

_What are you holding out for?_  
_ What's always in the way?_  
_ Why so damn absent-minded?_  
_ Why so scared of romance?_

_This modern love breaks me_  
_ This modern love wastes me_

_-This Modern Love, Bloc Party_

* * *

He wasn't sure if he should pinch himself or not. If it were truly a dream, he didn't want to inadvertently wake himself up. Actually, he never wanted to wake up. He could just die right now and he would die happy. Her teeth grazed his lip, biting with the slightest of pressure, confirming the fact that yes, he indeed was kissing Laura, or rather she was kissing him. It didn't matter, they were kissing each other. Gone was the calm and collected cool guy he usually was, in his place was a boy who was freaking out on the inside because the girl he liked was kissing him!

Finally. He had waited years for this. All of those stolen glances, all of those innocent touches, this was confirmation that all of those feelings weren't misguided, and they certainly weren't one sided. This was real. He'd always known it.

He felt all fucked up and jittery and a little nauseated, but it was the best feeling ever. He'd kissed a lot of girls before, hell, he'd kissed her before for the show, but none of those kisses had ever been like this. He felt like he was flying, like he couldn't be touched. Except that he _was_ being touched, all over, by her hands.

And it couldn't have been more clear to him that it was just the two of them, alone in this hotel room thousands of miles away from any distractions or meddling family members or nosy castmates.

His eyes tentatively fluttered open, gazing right into her dark, dusky eyes. She eagerly grabbed his hair to pull him down to her level, not breaking from him. His hands gripped her sides, feeling her the ridges of her ribcage move up and down raggedly as their lips moved, greedy, hungry, needing full contact, full feeling. Her tongue danced around his, teasing it, pushing him to try and keep up. He ground his hips into hers drawing a throaty moan to escape from her lips.

Oh my god. This was happening.

He knew it wasn't a dream, because in his wildest he couldn't have imagined it could be as good as it was. He would have never thought her to be the aggressor, the one to initiate. God, she just always seemed so innocent and mild-mannered, who knew that she could be this way? That was so sexy, the way she pulled him closer, the way she wanted him and the way she took what she wanted. He was already thinking up many new fantasies. He was thinking ahead of himself.

His nose bumped hers, and she laughed into his lips, bringing him back to reality. She fought to stand on her tiptoes to hold onto his neck, her grip loosening as she grew impatient and her arms grew tired. He slipped his hands underneath her legs, firmly gripping her ass and scooping her up, changing the giggle to a quick gasp. She rested her chin against his shoulder, just hugging him, wanting to be closer. She wrapped her legs around his waist tightly, slightly scooting herself up and creating the most deliciously uncomfortable friction against his abs. She cupped his face in her hands, smothering his chin, his cheeks, his lips with feathery kisses. He buried his face in her neck, groaning against her skin as his knees hit the edge of the bed.

She landed back on the pillows as he lowered himself to meet her awaiting lips. Her chest rose and fell in rapid bursts, matching his own in a quick rhythm. Her thumbs softly massaged his cheeks as their foreheads rested against each other. The bottoms of their shirts started to rise, revealing the smooth, untouched skin of her flat stomach. He braced himself on his elbows, allowing his bare skin to just graze hers before she reconnected with his lips again. It was the sexiest sound in the world, their lips smacking, their collective breaths short and fast, her quiet whimpers. He broke their kiss, making a trail of his own down her neck to her collarbone.

His fingertips traced the skin along her back as it arched to him. He reached under her shirt for the elusive clasp of her bra, but she quickly turned them over, so that his back was now on the bed. She straddled his midsection, leaning over him and nibbling the skin of his ear. He murmured her name as her hands ran up and down his heaving chest. He sat them both up to meet her forehead with his own, giving her a quick peck on the nose. He stared into her eyes in wonderment. He still couldn't believe this was happening.

He looked up at her with hooded eyes as she laced her fingers through his hair, keeping him locked in place. Her eyes were dark and cloudy, but it was unmistakable. She wanted him. He wanted her so badly. And he was pretty sure she could feel just how much he wanted her.

His mouth found hers again, their tongues twirling and entwining. He just wanted to devour her. His fingers crept down her abdomen, pulling at the hem of her shirt. Her hand stopped him as she broke free from his kiss.

"Ross, wait." He turned and rubbed his nose against her cheek, and stopped his hand's advancement. "I'm just not ready to…go any further." She untangled her legs from around him and dismounted, falling back on the pile of pillows on her hotel bed.

He flopped over to his back with a groan. Forever cockblocked.

"Sorry." She covered her eyes with her hands and let out a frustrated sigh. "It's totally me. Sorry."

He shifted, his erection softening by the second. He peeled her hands off her face, so that he could see her. "Don't be sorry. You really don't have to apologize."

She hesitated, "I just can't."

"You can't or you don't want to with me?" It was the masochist in him that needed to know.

"I want to. Trust me. You have no idea, how bad I want to. It's just that…you know I've never done _it_ before," her voice was barely a whisper as her cheeks flamed red. She squirmed and bit her lip, making his insides ache more for her. He needed those lips on him, anywhere on him, now.

Honestly, he didn't care if she hadn't done it. He could take care of that right now. But her worried face told him that it wasn't going to be happening.

"I know…" he replied, eliciting a look from her. "Well, you're like clearly a virgin. I mean, like I assumed."

She wrinkled her brow again and sat up straight. "What? I'm _clearly_ a virgin? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well not that I thought about it that much or anything," he stammered. He sat up to face her. "Let me rephrase this. I guess I was hoping that you hadn't done it with Jake. Not that I was hoping you were still a virgin or something. And seriously, after what just went down, you would've fooled me. That sounded weird, sorry. Okay, I'm gonna stop because everything I'm saying sounds creepy or offensive."

She sighed and pursed her lips. "Yeah, no we didn't do it. Almost, but no."

This was awkward. Nothing like talking about a relationship she had with another guy to kill a boner. He closed his eyes tightly. A fresh wave of nausea washed over him at the thought of Jake touching Laura in any way. The thought that Jake had experienced anything like what he had experienced with Laura made him want to puke. He didn't want to think about what the _almost_ in her confession hinted at.

"I mean, I want to, Ross," she placed her hand against his chest. "But it's a little fast. I mean, like you said, I'm a virgin. I mean, I don't have a chastity belt like chained on, but I've obviously been saving it for this long for a reason. I just broke up with my first boyfriend ever like less than a month ago. And I definitely wasn't ready to go all the way with him and we dated for a few months and I was still unsure then. We're not even…anything. And I don't think I'm ready yet."

He could see where she was coming from, he really could. But there were other things they could do that didn't involve full on penetration. He knew he should be thinking more sensitively and caring more about her feelings, but he was now being controlled by his other head, not the one with the brain. He reached out and stroked her hair, bringing her closer to him. He breathed into her lips as he went in for another kiss, "If you're not ready to proceed, I can think of a few things we can do instead of having sex."

Their lips moved against each other, his teeth scraping against skin, nipping at her fleshy lip. He let his fingers comb through her hair, following the strands down her back. He gently pushed himself on top of her as she relaxed her body beneath him. His hands crawled up the side of her body until they rested on top of her left breast, giving the generous mound a squeeze. Her body reacted, her back arching up towards him.

"Ross!" she exclaimed, pulling away from his mouth, slightly out of breath. "See what this leads to?"

"You didn't like that? It seemed like you did. I can be more gentle…" he reached up again as she swatted his hand away.

"Me liking it has nothing to do with it."

"Oh whatever." She shot him a look. "Okay, okay. I'll be good," he held his hands in the air.

"See, it's not you, because honestly, you make me want to do things no one else has ever made me want to do."

Yes! Score one for Team Ross. Take that Team Jake.

"I thought I knew you, but I can definitely say that I've never seen this side of you. Red-blooded woman. I like it."

"You're not the only one who has to hide things. That's why this whole thing is messed up."

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked, mesmerized by the way her shirt kept slipping up around her waist.

She cleared her throat and his eyes reluctantly met hers. "What I feel when I'm around you is so much more certain and intense than anything I ever felt with Jake or with anyone. I mean, I was so jealous the other night and I had no idea why. I have no claim to you; we're not together. But when things are great, they are so great and I find myself thinking a lot about us. But that scares me. It scares me that I am actually thinking of giving it all up even though we're not even together or dating or whatever. We were like at each other's throats yesterday and now we're rolling around in my bed. You can see how I'm a little confused right now as to what is happening. I really don't think hooking up with each other would help our relationship."

"Maybe it would make it more awesome." He traced his fingers on her arm, making the little hairs stand up. Now that he had touched her, he couldn't stop.

"I mean, you talk a big game, but are you even prepared?"

"I was born prepared," he said with the cockiness evident in his voice. "I mean, I didn't plan it out or anything, but I could light some candles and turn on some Boyz II Men if that would make you feel better."

"It's not funny, Ross. I'm being serious. Like, protection?"

It clicked in his head what she was getting at. "Oh. Condoms, yeah of course I've got some."

The look on her face told him that was probably the wrong thing to admit to.

"Oh, so you're just ready to go at any drop of some panties, I guess. Oh yeah, that makes me want to hook up with you," she huffed.

"Look, Laura. You know that I'm not a virgin, it shouldn't be a shock to you. I'm responsible. It's not like I'm like waiting to fuck any girl off the street. Guys carry around condoms. It happens."

"I know," she replied dejectedly. "This is what I mean though, I'm jealous of imaginary girls you haven't even slept with."

"Look, I get it. It drives me crazy when I see you talking other dudes, too. Like that asshole from Radio Disney? He annoys me."

"He's nice!" she protested.

"Yeah, to hot girls." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we're idiots if we're going to keep denying that we both don't feel some sort of attraction for each other."

"I know, Ross. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't think that I felt something for you for a long time. Things had been working up to this point for a long time, I mean, I know that. I'd just conveniently pushed the thought as far back in my head as I could because I didn't want it to change us, and because I wouldn't be able to deal with it if you hadn't felt the same way. And that's what worries me. Is it something deeper and actually there or is it just an attraction? I mean, we're close, we're together all the time. It could all be just circumstantial or due to the situation. I mean, look at us, we're not super compatible. We fight all the time."

"You're overthinking it. Just relax, stop thinking. Go with the flow, Laura." He rolled back over and nuzzled her neck. He pressed his lips to hers again, drawing a near immediate equal response. But Laura's conscience kicked in almost immediately, and she stopped.

"Ross! It's not that easy. What about the show? What about the fans? What about our careers? What about our families?" she exclaimed. He sighed, hanging his head down so that his hair was touching her chest. Her chest that was separated from his mouth by an obscenely thin piece of fabric. Seriously, it was practically see through. He could make out the outline of her bra.

"I know that I think you're sexy." Kiss. "And pretty." Kiss. "And beautiful." Kiss. I know that I like almost everything about you. Who you are, what you stand for." He looked into her eyes. "It's not just an attraction. I could get over an attraction. I can't get over you. I haven't been able to for a long time."

"I didn't know you felt that way. That makes me feel kind of stupid."

"I did a good job hiding it for the most part. Although it seems like everyone else could see it. But that's one of the things I like about you, you don't assume things, there's something just like innocent about you, you know? I kinda like that. Like you have like no idea you're beautiful…That's what makes you beautiful."

"Did you just quote One Direction?"

"You're insecure, don't know what for, you're turning heads when you walk through that do-uh-or," he joked.

"Please stop."

He laughed. "You love it. You know what? I think I discovered the one way to get you to stop talking."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

He moved his lips up to meet hers for a sweet short kiss.

"See, that's not fair. I just don't know what to do."

"I'm just pissed, this could've happened like a year ago."

"But then everything would have changed," she whispered sadly.

He tilted her face up towards his. "You know what the first time I really wanted to kiss you was?"

"What?"

"When we were filming Chapters & Choices and we had that fake kiss. Your eyes like rolled in the back of your head right before we leaned in, and I just had this urge to kiss you for real so badly. I could've just grabbed you and gone for it. You would've loved it and the rest would be history."

"There's the ego I like so much," she laughed, stroking his arm.

"Yeah, you do."

"That's what makes you a sexy, I guess."

"Did you just call me sexy?" his eyes lit up.

She pursed her lips to the side and shrugged. "Maybe. Don't let it go to your head."

"That's what's up." He turned on his side to really look at her, her hair tangled from his fingers, her lips pink and raw from their little makeout session. She looked natural, untouched, he could get used to seeing that. He grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers with hers and bringing it up to his mouth for a kiss.

"You think you're pretty charming, don't you?"

"I'll be the Prince Charming to your Sleeping Beauty any day."

She murmured, starting at their hands. "I'm more of a Belle girl."

"Does that make me the Beast?"

"Maybe." She traced lazy circles on his bicep, trying to cover up a yawn, but not succeeding.

"You're sleepy. Do you want me to go?" he asked.

"Not really."

"There you go again, sending me mixed signals." He smiled. She snuggled into his chest as he inhaled the scent of her hair.

"Don't overthink it Ross. Just go with the flow," she mimed. Her eyes fluttered shut and after what seemed like seconds, she was asleep. He watched her chest rise and fall for a long time.

He groaned inwardly at the whole situation. How she could go from 0 to 60 back to 0 again was so fucking frustrating. She might be able to just turn off her feelings and desires, but it wasn't so easy for him. He wanted something more. He got it, she wanted to slow things down, figure things out. She wanted to be sure, he could respect that, but that didn't mean that he agreed with it. He went off on instinct, on what he knew he wanted. He couldn't be more sure of what he wanted from her. He wished she could be the same. He didn't want to slow down; he couldn't go any slower. He had wanted her for so long. He'd waited for so long, but he didn't know how much longer he could wait. He was 18 and unlike Laura, the purity ship had sailed a long time ago, making it that much harder. Even though he wasn't _that _experienced, he kind of liked to think he was. It was easier to ignore the forbidden fruit if you'd never had a taste, but he had needs.

He loved her purity, but damn it if it wasn't making things difficult. It made her an easy target to tease, to fluster and get her out of sorts, which was fun. What wasn't fun was cuddling up to the girl you wanted to fuck, who was barely wearing any clothing. He was pretty sure he was nursing the bluest balls in the world. He didn't know how long he would be able to wait for her. Even though she said she wanted to, he knew she was afraid. He was afraid he wasn't going to be able to change her mind. He was even more afraid of what would happen if he would.

Watching her lay there in her arms made him realize it. She was special, untouched, perfect. She was so innocent. He could only fuck things up.

* * *

Laura stretched out, rolling over in bed. Her mouth was dry and her face felt puffy. She sat up suddenly, remembering why.

All she found were wrinkled sheets beside her.

Where did Ross go?

She felt an empty ache in her stomach. She had made a huge mistake. This proved it.

The door between their rooms was closed and she was about to storm over and knock the shit out of it, when she saw the hastily scribbled note by her bedside.

_Hey sleepyhead, had to leave to catch my flight. You are cute when you sleep. See you in a few days. R._

She breathed a sigh of relief that he had a good reason to slip out. It still didn't completely qualm the feeling of uneasiness that she had in the pit of her belly that was telling her that he would always be leaving for something. She had forgotten that he had to go fly to meet up with the rest of the band to perform at some festival that night. Darn it, another missed opportunity. She wished he would have woken her up. She wanted to say goodbye or at least see him off. Mostly she wanted to confirm that what transpired last night felt real to him, too. But early morning goodbyes were what a girlfriend would give, and she was certainly not his girlfriend. Even though they had talked about a lot of things including her embarrassing non-existent sex life, he'd never once suggested that they go out for real. Like on a date, or hang out or whatever.

Those words did not exit his mouth.

And she knew that she was overthinking it when she started to think that he only wanted physicality instead of a real relationship, but she couldn't help it. She was prone to overthinking things. She came from a family of overthinkers and overreactors. And the fact that he disappeared so early made her think that he regretted or was disappointed in the events of the previous night. And now she wouldn't see him until next week when they started filming again. And she didn't know if she should text him or if that would make her seem needy. And it's not as if his note gave any notice that they would talk soon or that he would be in contact. He was so fucking cryptic sometimes! She flopped backwards onto the bed and let out a huge groan of frustration. Why was love so confusing? She felt like she was on a rollercoaster. And she hated rollercoasters.

But she thought back to their makeout session the night before. She thought it was pretty good; she only really had one other person to compare it to, but this was _way_ better. Judging from the way he responded to her, he enjoyed it immensely, too. She enjoyed it almost too much. But it made her nervous, the butterflies starting their assault on the inside of her stomach again. Sometimes just being around him made her nervous. It was a good thing they'd stopped. If they'd done it and he was gone in the morning, she did not know what she would've felt. It would have been even shittier. He seemed to understand her side of things, but hell, she may have drove him away...and she would never know the better. That was the problem, Ross said a lot of things to a lot of people, but she was never quite sure if he really meant them.

He had to mean them with her though, right? She trusted him. She had to. Especially now, there was no turning back. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, and the next time this happened, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to stop.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I'm a tease, but did you at least like what I threw at you there? There could be more in the future, or maybe not-let me know what you think ;)


	17. easy now, with my heart

_A/N: Sorry to those who didn't like Ross in the last chapter, he's a little older in this story, so I made him a little more "experienced." Trying to keep it real. Thanks to raeganb123, Herewriting307, and Kathy0518 for always leaving awesome reviews. And to liz0113, thanks for the compliment about my music taste-that's probably the best thing anyone could ever tell me. Thanks all for reading and especially to those who review!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Walk the Moon and the Killers._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

_17: easy now, with my heart_

_Can we climb this mountain?  
I don't know  
Higher now than ever before,  
I know we can make it if we take it slow  
Let's take it easy, easy now  
Watch it go_

_-When You Were Young, the Killers_

* * *

Ross felt like a dick. This was becoming a recurring theme in his life.

He wasn't proud of it.

He hadn't talked with, texted or tweeted/instagrammed or whatevered with Laura since New York. He'd been busy playing a few shows with the band, and then when he got home to LA, he'd been exhausted.

Was that really an excuse though?

It had been exactly 12 days, 16 hours, 33 minutes since he'd left that hotel room, but in teenage years that was like forever not to talk to someone.

She was probably pissed. He had started several texts, but deleted them quickly. It was funny, when he was unsure of how she felt, the words came easily, and now that something had happened between them, he had nothing. Well, nothing that made him sound not like a dick who was only trying to get into her pants.

_Hey, I'm glad we made out, next time we should fuck?_

_Last weekend was awesome except for the whole cockblock thing?_

He liked her, obviously, he'd been practically obsessed with her over the past few months, but he wasn't sure what they should do next. He had no idea what to say. That was a new notion for him.

He was getting into his own head again, dammit. He'd spent the past few sleepless nights thinking about what ifs and worries. It wasn't her fault, but he still felt like he'd gotten no further with her than when he started. Did she want to go out? Did she want to be his girlfriend? He'd always had these notions of romance and love that involved wooing and public displays of affection and candlelit dinners and shit.

But he couldn't really give her that even if he wanted to. They couldn't really be public for obvious reasons. In fact, no one from their show or publicity team could find out. And they couldn't do things that privately without getting unwanted attention from their friends and family. He'd seen what had happened after he took her to the concert, that was closest thing to a date he'd ever gone on and it completely got blown up out of proportion. Think of what would happen if people found out they were for real going out. He shuddered. Sneaking around wasn't the best option either, though. He didn't want her to be some hidden secret; she didn't deserve that.

He didn't deserve her, he knew that, but he wasn't ready to let go. Because he knew what he felt for her, and now he knew that she felt that way about him, too. It was more than just a physical thing, even though, no lie, that did play a very big part in it for him. He thought about her in the various positions he got her in more often than anything else. There was just something else about her that pulled him in, the way she didn't let him get away with shit, the way she challenged him, the way they were so different. They were opposites. It was like magnetic force that drew them to each other.

But clearly, he had not thought this through. She had, and that's probably why she stopped him. He wished she hadn't, but that was neither here nor there at this point. This was the definition of complicated.

But he couldn't forget about what had happened between them, and how good it was. And it was really good. Much better than he could have imagined. And he wanted some more.

What could he say, he was a greedy bastard. But he was also an idiot and at this point, he probably ruined any chance he had.

But then again, she hadn't tried to contact him either.

He looked up from his iPad to see his sister staring at him.

"What? Stop being a total creepster."

"What are you looking at?" she tried to sneak a peek, but he was too fast and hid the screen. He could not have her see that he was creeping on pictures of Laura from some new magazine spread. What he couldn't figure out was how Laura had time do to a thousand sexy photoshoots. There were new photos everyday on Tumblr, one hotter than the last. Did she have to take suggestive pictures where she was lying flat on her back?

"Nothing, nosy."

"There's something going on with you." She twirled her finger at him.

What the fuck, how could she tell?

"Like…" he trailed off.

"I don't know, ever since New York, you've been a little different. Like there's just something, I can't put my finger on it."

What the fuck? She was psychic.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he denied

Actually, Rydel had no idea at all, but she knew if she baited him enough though, he'd give her some sort of clue as to if something happened or not. "No, something's up. Did something happen?"

His eyes widened. "What? No."

A-ha! She knew it. He could keep secrets, but he was a bad liar. "Oh ok, Mr. Convincing. You might as well tell me because we both know what I've made up in my head is probably worse than what actually happened."

He broke down easier than she would have imagined. "Okay, but I swear to God if you tell anyone else, it'll be R4."

"Please," she scoffed. Idle threats from her brothers did not bother her. "So, what went down?

"LauraandIkindamadeoutinNewYork-" he mumbled an unintelligible mush of words. But she caught every syllable.

The squeal she let out was both loud and embarrassing.

"Seriously? I don't think everyone in the neighborhood heard you."

"Sorry," she whispered, still beaming. "Are you kidding though? Ross, that's awesome!"

"Is it?"

"Please, don't play it off, ass."

"Okay, yeah it was cool. I mean, really good,"he blushed. It was weird talking to his sister about this. Could be worse, could be his mom.

"Well, then what happened, are you guys going out now?" A million different scenarios popped into her head.

"What, that's kind of moving quickly."

"Umm, typically people go out on dates, then they get to the hooking up stage."

"Gross, don't talk about that. Anyway, we're in a different situation. We're friends and we've been friends. I know a lot about her. Dating is for people who need to become acquainted with one another to see if they like each other. I feel like we can skip that part."

"Because you guys already like each other!" she was grinning from ear to ear and he just shook his head. This was a mistake to tell her.

"Oh my god. I can't. Plus, it's not like people can know about it." He rose to get up from the couch, but she stopped him.

"No! Go on, I promise to calm myself. What are you going to do then?"

"I don't know."

"Ross! Did you guys talk?"

"No. I had to leave to meet up with you guys and we haven't talked since."

"WHAT? Please tell me you're joking."

"I'm not, we're both kind of busy, so…" She threw a pillow at his head that he dodged.

"So you just left it unacknowledged and open ended? You idiot! Poor Laura!"

"Poor Laura? She didn't try to talk to me either, I haven't heard from her, what about poor Ross?"

"Oh, don't make this about you," Rydel replied, rolling her eyes.

"Umm, it is about me and Laura, and now I'm regretting telling you. I will deal with this my own way." He stormed out the door and she heard him rev the engine of his car. Luckily, the others were in the basement, so they didn't hear or have to witness Ross's little hissy fit. What a moron. At least part of her plan worked, they connected in New York, but leave it to one of her brothers to mess things up. Even though she swore to him, it may be time to call in the troops. He needed more help than he knew.

He sat in his car staring at his phone. He had no excuse now. He should call her or even go over to her house. But what would he say? Maybe he would put it off a few more days.

* * *

Laura dipped her spoon into her froyo, swirling it around, watching the helpless raspberries drown in the icy sea.

"Are you seriously just going to waste that?" Vanessa cocked her eyebrow at her younger sister.

"Well, do you want it?" she snapped back.

"Whoa, what's gotten into you?"

Laura just wordlessly played with dessert.

"Oh my god, you're not saying anything. You always have something to say. What's up?"

She shrugged.

"Come on, spill it. Boy drama? I thought Jake was out of the picture."

She looked up at her sister through her long eyelashes.

"Ah, not about Jake. I get it. Come on, Mom and Dad aren't here, you can tell me."

"I hooked up with Ross," she confessed.

"And?" Vanessa motioned with her hand.

"What do you mean, and?"

"Well, I figured you guys would hook up eventually. Wait are we talking like made out or like fucked?"

Her eyes bugged out. "Gross, Vanessa! We just made out. What, do you think I'm some sort of slut?"

"Umm, no Laur. What's the opposite of a slut, because that's you. I know you wouldn't jump into bed with the first guy who came along, but I don't know. You've known Ross for a long time. You guys obviously care about each other. Thought it was bound to happen."

"What? How did every one see it but me?"

"Umm, hello. You didn't want to see it because you didn't believe it. Everyone else sees the way he looks at you all the time."

"And what way is that?"

"Like he's undressing you and imagining some very dirty things," she winked suggestively.

Laura shook her head. "That's not true."

"Will you just believe that you're attractive to boys? Seriously, I mean, you're related to this," she gestured down her own body. "Who wouldn't want a piece of one of us?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well you're super wrong because I haven't heard from him since it happened."

"Eesh, well that sucks. But honestly, that's because boys are terrible communicators. Ross definitely included. Did you try to talk to him?"

"No, he had to leave the hotel for his flight in the morning."

"Oh, hotel? You are a slutty slutbag."

"Thanks. Well waking up alone kind of made me feel like one, so thanks."

"Well what about after, how come you haven't texted him?"

"He was gone touring and I didn't know what to say. Hey, we hooked up, let's be boyfriend and girlfriend now? That sounds lame."

"Yeah, it does. Well, you can't blame him solely then, two way street? I don't know. I'm sure you guys will talk soon enough."

"That's it? We'll talk soon? You sound like him."

"Well, do you want to be with him?"

"I don't know."

"See, you kind of have to figure it out first. Maybe it's good you guys didn't talk right away, now you have time to let it marinate. You shouldn't let him get to you, boys are literal idiots. They have no idea what they're saying or doing, especially when they get scared. He probably didn't know how to react and so he acted like a guy and tried to play it off like it was no big deal, when inside I'm sure he was freaking out. Guys tend to do that."

"I don't know if we should start something. I'm already freaking out and all we did was kiss! I mean, this could affect everything, our jobs, our friendship."

"First of all, screw the show, it's ending in less than a year. There will be other jobs, but you'll only be a teenager once. And as far as it affecting your relationship, yeah it might, and you may lose each other, but you could have fun. You never know if you don't try."

She didn't respond.

"Laura, you can't lose him if you never had him at all. And if you never give it a chance, like a real chance, then you'll regret it."

"If we do get together, then it can really only lead to one thing..." she trailed off, looking down at her yogurt.

"What do you mean?"

"We've already known each other for years, I mean, the relationship is already there."

"Okay…still not following..."

"So then the physical stuff will come quickly…" she finished.

"Ohhhh, I catch your drift. You talk about sex like it's some dirty secret or something, you're like so old fashioned," she waved her hand off flippantly. Laura hated how everyone else was so casual about the sex thing. She was flipping out about it. Sure, some of her friends had done it, but she hadn't, so she thought this was a reasonable reaction.

"Well, it's a big deal," she muttered.

"I know, I'm sorry. But, I think you're jumping the bone too quickly here."

"Ha, very funny. I mean, I'm not afraid of it, I've done some _stuff _before..." she hinted with a weird hand gesture.

"Oh my god, you are awkward," Vanessa pointed out, wrinkling her brow and shaking her head.

"I'm just kind of scared of being a disappointment. What if I'm like bad at it or something?"

"Are you kidding right now? You are so overthinking it. Once a guy gets you to that point, he doesn't care. He's just in the moment, enjoying it. Which is what you should do, I mean, if you decide he's who you want to do it with. He may not be, you never know. I mean, don't worry about it, you watch HBO, you know the finer points of getting down. Why are you so worried about this, you're already having regrets and nothing has even happened yet."

She pouted at her older sister. She couldn't feel more like a child right now.

"Aww, come on little one, don't worry. Did something happen while you were getting hot and heavy that's making you worry?"

"No, it was fine."

"Fine? Fine is what you say when someone asks you how you're doing, not when you're asked to describe a makeout sesh. Try again."

She rolled her eyes. "It was really good. Obviously."

"Yeah, I would imagine it to be. You could do worse," she raised her eyebrows.

"Vanessa!"

"What, I won't steal him." She licked her spoon nonchalantly.

"Well, he'd probably like that, he's always had a crush on you."

"Oh my God, what's wrong with you? He was only saying he had a crush on me to get a rise out of you. He's liked you the whole time. Jeez, how are we related? My deductive reasoning skills are far superior to yours," she laughed.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. See, you do like him, you're jealous of your own sister. You've got it bad."

"I know, that's what worries me. When I think about him, it makes me act crazy and like I'm watching a movie of myself acting all out of character."

"That's love, kid. You can be scared or you can face your fear and see what happens."

* * *

Ross threw open the door of Calum's dressing room. "I made out with Laura."

The redhead almost spit his coffee out. "What did you just say?"

"I hooked up with Laura…when we were in New York."

"Whoa. Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Well, congrats man." He held out his hand for a high five, which Ross halfheartedly returned. He made a face at his blonde friend, "Eesh, unless you're regretting it, then sucks man."

"I don't regret it, per se. I don't know what to make of it."

"Well, shhhit."

"Yeah, I mean it was great. Really, great actually. Amazing. Awesome. Hot. Our little Laura has some moves."

Calum raised his eyebrows.

"I know, right? Not as innocent as you would think. Which was a really pleasant surprise. I thought she was going to be a total prude, honestly. But I'm not really sure what's going to happen now."

"Real life Austin and Ally?" Calum suggested.

"Well yeah, I mean it's awkward, right? I feel more awkward. Plus we kind of left things hanging."

"Well, have you talked to her since?"

"Nope. She kind of stopped before we could progress and then it was sort of weird because I think she felt guilty about the whole thing."

Calum squinted at his friend, "Well, so then where are we?"

"Since then, we've both been super busy. Haven't talked."

The redhead's eyes bugged. "Okay, well now it's gotta be really awkward. The window is closing."

"What window?" Ross asked.

"The hook up window. That time period between a hookup and acknowledgement of said hookup. If the window closes before everything has been addressed, then the relationship changes forever. And it can't return to where it used to be, if that's what you want."

"Okay, _Dez_. Thanks, that makes me feel better."

"Well, did you hook up, hook up? Or what?"

"I tried to steal second base and it wasn't happening. But then it was like a 6-4-3 double play and I was out."

"Yeah, I'm Canadian so you're gonna have to change to hockey analogies."

"Well, let's just say I'm up against Patrick Roy defending the goal."

"Ooh, shit. Better than an empty net though, am I right?"

Ross laughed, leave it to Calum to find levity in the situation.

Calum continued, "Good luck, man. Well, I'd like to say that I'm shocked, but I'm not really. I'm not going to say it was an inevitability, but you're with each other all the time, you clearly like each other, things were bound to happen."

"I'm with a lot of people all the time, doesn't mean I try to fuck them all."

"You don't? Oh, well then I have been reading ALL of those signals wrong."

"Seriously, dude," Ross raised his eyebrows.

"What? Yeah, I realize you're around a lot of people, but you're two good looking kids, you have a connection, a great friendship. You play girlfriend and boyfriend everyday, and you're always flirting."

"We are not always flirting," he argued.

"Are you kidding? How many times a day can you guys get into little squabbles and try to prove the other one wrong. That's flirting, dude. The lines between fiction and reality blur sometimes, that definitely happens. It's a thing."

"But so is the crash and burn. She didn't try to talk to me either, do you think she's regretting it happened?"

"Umm, well I don't know because I'm not a psychic. You should ask her. Just talk to her. You guys were friends before and I think whatever happens, you can still be friends after. Just have fun, don't put pressure on it. Did she initiate?"

"Kind of, she kissed me. But then I overtook the wheel."

"Of course you did. It makes sense, you're always eye fucking the shit out of her."

"That's not true."

"Umm, have you seen yourself? You stare at her all the time. Sometimes I want to shut your gaping mouth so that you don't attract flies."

"I look at her when she's talking, and she talks a lot!" Ross exclaimed.

"I'm just saying. Exhibit A, photos from Australia."

"That was a photoshoot, where we were being directed," the blonde countered.

"Exhibit B, you said you told her jokes to please her. Your choice of words. Jokes aren't the only things you use to please her, huh?" He raised his eyebrows.

Ross smirked. "Well the physical attraction is definitely there. You know what I meant. She's fucking hot. I mean, she got hot, you know she did."

"Yeah, she is gorgeous, we all know this. But you can't tell me that's the only reason you are into her. You're always trying to make her laugh and you love messing with her."

"It's so easy to."

"When you're around someone so much, like all the time, love manifests itself. Now whether it's purely a friendly love or romantic love, that remains to be seen, but it's like destiny. So it's not just that she has a banging body and you want to hit it and quit it. You care about her."

"Yeah, I know, I do. I just don't know if we could do the boyfriend/girlfriend thing right now."

"Why not?"

"I don't know, I just can't see it right now, us in a relationship. But you've always been right, I do like her."

"I love those words, can you say them again?"

"You've always been right."

Calum grinned and nodded. "Music to my ears. I say you see where it goes. And who says she wants you to be her boyfriend?"

"Really, Calum? Really?"

"The girl just broke up with her other boyfriend, what if she was just using you for your body?" he snickered.

"I highly doubt that. Wouldn't we have fucked then? If she really wanted to get revenge or get off?" Ross defended, tersely.

"Well, what if this tips the scale and she gets back together with that boyfriend of hers?" Calum continued to poke, knowing it was getting a rise of his co-star.

"She wouldn't. He's a douche. I don't know what she saw in him anyway."

"See, you're still jealous of that guy, like you were when they were dating. You want her when she's with someone, and when she's free and available you balk at starting something with her. You are a contradiction, my friend."

"Well, what if it doesn't work."

"Well, then it doesn't. As long as you guys stay mature about it, which she completely would, you'll be fine."

"Fuck it, I'll just talk to her. Thanks, dude."

"Anytime, the love whisperer is always available to help you with your love needs." He leaned back on his chair and crossed his leg over his knee.

Ross looked back over her shoulder. "Don't be creepy."

"Yeah, you felt that, too? Yeah." Calum hopped up off his chair.

He had to go find Raini to collect on their bet.

* * *

Laura yawned and re-read the script in front of her. She'd already memorized it a long time ago, but she needed something to distract her.

She was going to see Ross today.

They were both idiots and they'd not talked to each other, so she felt a little awkward. There was no reason to be though, she was a complete professional and she was prepared to deal with whatever attitude he had towards their little tryst.

That was the hard part, acting like everything was totally normal. She couldn't tell anyone until she'd discussed it with Ross. She had to see how he felt.

"There he is, always on time, Ross, great of you to join us…" Kevin teased as Ross slipped into a chair across from Laura.

She looked up at him quickly and met his eyes. He gave her a small smile.

That had to be a good sign right?

They ran through the table read pretty quickly. Yet another episode where Austin and Ally tried to ignore their feelings for each other. It really didn't require much acting on her or Ross's part.

He grabbed her arm before they were about to break. "Hey, do you think we can talk?"

"Yeah, sure." Her heart was beating in her chest.

He was freaking out inside. Then he saw her, looking so fucking cute sitting there, and he knew exactly what he should say. He shut the door to her dressing room and sat down beside her on the couch. They faced each other wordlessly.

"So…" he started.

"So…how are you?"

"I'm good, how are you?"

"Good. How were your shows?" she asked.

"Awesome."

"Awesome," she repeated.

"You looked great at that event yesterday. I like what you did with your hair."

"Oh really? Thanks. Thought I'd try something new."

"So…" they said in unison. They both laughed.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things, with us," he started.

"Me too."

"I don't know if it's a good idea for us to jump into dating."

Her face fell.

"Let me finish, I really like being around you as a friend, but it would be so hard to continue to be just friends with you when I want to be so much more."

It felt like her heart was caught in her throat.

"But, at the same time, I don't know how it would work exactly. We can't just like start dating publicly. But I don't like the idea of sneaking around either."

"I know," she admitted dejectedly. She'd thought a lot about this, too. She hadn't come up with a good solution.

"I thought about it a lot. Like a lot. And I'm sorry I didn't call you or text you or whatever. I didn't know what I was going to say to you."

"I'm sorry, too, I didn't know what to say either. So, we literally have no idea what to do. Great," she sighed.

"We should just go with it. Remember what I told you in New York. YOLO, Laura, YOLO."

She rolled her eyes. Her phone beeped a few times with a succession of texts.

"Hey, Miss Popular, who keeps texting?"

"Some of my friends from school, they're telling me to check Twitter."

He hoped it wasn't news reporting the George Clooney had gotten married or something. She might never get over that.

She opened up the app on her iPad.

"What is this?" she asked.

"What's what?" He was absentmindedly looking at his phone, pulling up twitter.

"People have been tweeting me this pic all day. #Raura2023 trended? What's that supposed to mean?"

Oh shit.

Fuck.

Shit.

He watched as her eyes flitted back and forth, reading the screen. She didn't look pleased. He didn't think she would be.

And it was all his fault.

* * *

_A/N: Sunday question: if Raura is a mountain, does that mean Laura wants to climb Ross? Yeah, I had to go there. And yes, I actually wrote this chapter with the Killers' song lyric about climbing the mountain about a week ago, so Laura might be reading my mind, in which case I feel bad for her._ :) _I have a tumblr now, standingoncanalandbowery, you should follow-I don't know how to use it quite yet, but I might post teasers, if you're into that. _


	18. don't you feed me lines

_A/N: This one is angsty. So, I sat down the other day and pretty much finished this story, which is sad. There are probably two to three more chapters, but good news, I've actually started outlining the sequel which I will start writing shortly. What up to the people who have followed me, standingoncanalandbowery, on tumblr, if you haven't yet, you should! You should also review :)_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to the Postal Service and Fleetwood Mac._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

18: don't you feed me lines about some idealistic future

_Loving you, isn't the right thing to do_  
_How can I ever change things, that I feel?_  
_If I could, maybe I'd give you my world_  
_How can I, when you won't take it from me?_

_-Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac_

* * *

He was an idiot.

He'd forgotten about the interview. In his defense, it was before they hooked up. In her defense, it didn't matter. The evidence was damning. The damage had been done. He literally could see the cogwheels turning in her head and the steam starting to erupt out of her ears.

She read aloud, "When asked if he'd ever date his co-star, Laura Marano, Ross gives us a surprising answer. Just because I'm working with her and we have to have that chemistry and all that stuff, I don't see it happening in the near future. But you never know what's going to happen in 10 years." She stopped and looked up at him through thick dark lashes, her voice faltering. "What is this, Ross?"

She was trying to sound tough and brave and hide her disappointment, but it was showing. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

"That was taken out of context," he replied as he scooted closer to her.

She moved away. "How could that be taken out of context? I'm understanding the context really well. You don't see us happening now, but maybe you'll throw me a bone in 10 years?"

"That's not what I meant."

She continued reading, "I wouldn't [date a co-star] of a TV show until it has wrapped, you don't want to have that on your mind with seasons to come…"

"Don't overreact."

"Overract?" she snickered. She got up from the couch. "See, this is the funny thing, Ross. How could I possibly overreact? You know how I was telling you how I think that you think you're better than me? This is why."

"Okay, that's bullshit and you know it."

"Oh, you want to talk about bullshit? You did this interview last week! If you've been wanting us the happen for a long time, you have a real funny way of showing it."

"Laura, come on. It's something stupid I said. I say stupid shit all the time, you of all people should know that!" he ran his hands through his hair in frustation.

"No, seriously. You said what you meant. You said it yourself, you don't think it's a good idea to date a co-star. I agree with you," she huffed, crossing her arms.

"What, so we're going to ignore this happened? I did that interview before anything happened between us, for real. I honestly didn't think anything would! You can't hold that against me."

"You're right, the interview was before the hook up, which means you were completely honest and weren't swayed by anything between us. I mean, you're right, Ross, what were we thinking? We got caught up in the moment, being in New York, the Annie Hall effect and all of that." She turned to leave.

"No." He caught her by the wrist and twirled her back around to face him.

She snapped her arm away from him. "What do you mean, no?"

He stood up and towered over her. She hated that. "I don't want to stop. I came here to tell you that I like you. I don't know how we can make it work, date like the normal sense, but I want to be with you. I've been killing myself over the past few months over you. I think I've been pretty clear about that. _You're_ using this as an excuse to avoid dealing with your feelings."

She poked him in the chest. Ow, he thought. "I'm not avoiding anything. You're the one who makes these big, bold statements. I mean, why would you say something like that if you didn't mean it?"

He tossed his hands in the air. "Well, what am I supposed to say, Laura? Was I supposed to be baited by the interviewer and tell the truth?" He leaned in close to her face, "Actually, I would love to date my co-star, I've been obsessed with her for the past year, but she won't give me the time of day because she's dating some douchebag."

Her eyes turned to slits. "Maybe not say that to the media, but maybe say it to me!" she stood on her tiptoes to get into his face. "Tell me how you feel. You want to know how I feel? I'll tell you how I feel. Waking up in that room by myself was shitty. Not hearing from you for almost two weeks was shitty. You may think you have it all figured out, but I don't think you do. And now some stupid interview comes out where you make it seem like I'm not good enough for you? Oh, but it's my fault that I'm offended because I'm trying to hide from my feelings? Stop being so selfish!"

"Selfish! I was trying to protect us by answering the question that way. Stop thinking that I said it because I think I'm better than you. That's your own insecurity about the situation, not mine."

Her eyes narrowed even further because he hit it right on the head. "You want what you want, and you don't even consider what others want. Look at us, we're fighting again and we're not even anything. So yeah, I don't think this is a good idea. Thanks for making it an easy decision." She slammed the door of her bathroom shut.

He slumped back on the couch and threw her pillows across the room. He had to open his fucking mouth, didn't he?

* * *

Raini and Calum stood just out of the line of vision of their co-stars, watching them film their scene. Raini wrinkled her brow, her hands on her hips.

"What's wrong with them? They look like they're about to kill each other, not make out with each other."

"Well, that's why you shouldn't hook up with a co-star," Calum snickered.

Raini's mouth dropped open. "Umm…What?"

"Laura didn't tell you?"

"No, what the hell?" her eyes flashed.

"Ross just told me this morning. And clearly something has happened, because they both looked pissed. And now both of their egos are bruised and they're too proud to just admit they like each other for real and do the damn thing."

"Well, they're actors, of course they have big egos."

"No, Raini, they are stubborn because they are teenagers. It's so typical."

"Well, what's going to happen? We're filming the season finale next week. Are they just going to let this fester over the hiatus and then make things even more awkward when we come back to shoot in June?"

"Not if we have anything to do with it," he winked.

Raini burst into her friend's dressing room. "Laura, what the hell? Why didn't you tell me you hooked up with Ross? I had to learn it from Calum!?"

Laura slowly looked up from her homework, perturbed. "There's nothing really to tell. Yeah, we hooked up. Yeah, he's a dick. No, we're not together."

Raini backtracked seeing her friend was less than pleased by the line of questioning, "Sorry, are you sure you don't want to talk? You guys looked pretty mad today."

She sighed, "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't take this out on you. I was pissed at him, but it's fine. But here's a tip, don't mix business with pleasure."

"That's why you should talk to me. What happened?"

"We made out while we were in New York," she started as Raini raised her eyebrows. Laura chose to ignore her friend as she continued, "He had to leave to go play some shows the next day, so he just left without one word. We didn't talk at all for almost two weeks, then we get back here, we're talking, I think we're finally getting somewhere, and we were going to see where things were going to go, but then this interview comes out."

She handed Raini the iPad. The older girl sped through the article and made a face.

"Oh Laura, I'm sorry. Not that this justifies it, but I'm sure he didn't mean it to be a direct dig on you."

"I know, but it's just the timing of it, you know? He just did this interview. That's the way he feels. And then I had this nagging feeling in New York that I was like an afterthought to him. And he was trying so hard to get in my pants, there was something that just didn't feel right to me. Maybe it's because I kind of think he cared more about the hookup than my actual feelings about it."

"I don't think that's true. I think that Ross is an 18 year-old boy and all teenage boys act like that. They all are like obsessed with sex, you know that. They're emotionally stunted, too. They are into the hookup, but trust me, I've been around you both for a long time and I know he cares about you. I don't think you're an afterthought to him. Far from it. He cares about you a lot. Ross could hook up with anyone, you know that. But I can assure you that he's wanted you for a long time."

"Well, regardless, I don't think I'm ready to be with him. Even if it wasn't directly referring to me, it kind of felt like a slap in the face. It's all about timing. It can never be the right person at the wrong time, and the wrong person at the right time, you know?"

Raini nodded, but she wasn't sure she agreed.

"The worse thing is that our fans think it's like cute that he said he would possibly date me in 10 years. I think it's kind of insulting! So, he's like keeping me at bay and like maybe he'll consider dating me in the future? I'm not good enough for him now? What is that?"

She could see that her friend was fired up, but that was because she was hurting. Logic was out the window when it came to bruised feelings and egos. Raini tried to placate her, "But he's right though, he can't say to the interviewer that yeah, he would totally date his co-star, that would set off a hailstorm of publicity that neither of you would want. Think about what the fans would do with that! I think he's thinking about the show and about your friendship as well. I think it was protective. I'm sure it's very confusing for him."

"Okay, if he were really so concerned about preserving our friendship and not letting a romantic relationship get in the way, then how come he was working every angle to get me into bed with him?" Laura pouted.

Raini bit her lip. "I don't know, Laura. At the end of the day, he's a guy who was alone with a girl whom he has liked, he's thinking with his dick and not with his head. He cares about you, but in the heat of the moment, I'm sure he was overtaken by some urges and stuff. Plus, you're a hot piece of ass, own it."

Laura rolled her eyes. "I just want him to be truthful to me, that's all, then I'd be more comfortable with the situation. I just don't feel right about it, especially when I don't know what would happen afterwards. Would he just drop me once he got what he wanted? Because it felt like that."

And there was the insecurity peeking it's head out. "I don't think Ross is that kind of guy."

"No, maybe not, but he's the kind of guy who can manipulate the situation to benefit him. I've seen it. Whether it is saying one thing to the interviewer and another to me, I mean, how do I know which is the truth? What is the real Ross thinking?"

"I don't think you should be as hard on him. You know deep down he's a good one. He's always been there for you, he's been a really caring friend, so you know he's not just a dick. I mean, certainly, some of it is his wrong doing, but I think it was easier for him to deflect with that question. I think you should at least hear him out."

She had heard him out. Laura thought of their conversations in New York, how he felt about the show and everything, and of course Raini didn't know all of that, so she couldn't understand from where she was coming. It just all made her feel unsettled.

"Well, are you okay?" Raini asked, putting her arm around her friend.

"I'm fine. I think we'll be fine. It'll be a little awkward for awhile, but we're almost done shooting, he'll go off on tour and we'll get over it."

"Do you want to get over it?"

"I think so. It's for the best. I mean, Raini, we kind of had this crazy three days in New York. We were like friendly, then we were fighting and pissed, then we were making out. And now we're fighting again. It's like a vicious cycle, and I already feel tired and winded from it."

"It sounds exciting."

"Yeah, but exciting isn't me. I like stability. I realized with this whole thing happening that being with Ross would be so crazy. It would make me crazy. It made me crazy and not myself and we weren't even together. I don't know. I think this is for the best for us both." She sighed. She may have said the words, but now she had to make herself believe them.

"Well it's your decision obviously, your love life, but I'm telling you. Ross looks at you the way most girls dream of being looked at by a boy. I don't think he's faking it. I don't think he could."

* * *

It had been a rough few weeks on the set of _Austin & Ally_. Although Ross and Laura were trying to be as normal as possible, it was hard not to see that the two stars were not speaking with each other, joking around or teasing each other. They weren't playfully snapping at each other or flirting or anything. It was noticed.

By everyone.

Luckily, it was their last week before the hiatus. They were shooting the final episode of the season, entitled _Proms and Promises_, and both were relieved that they'd have a few months to simmer down. Both of them were both too prideful and hurt to be the first to apologize to the other.

Ross had basically phoned in his performance this week, sick of everyone and everything around him. The read was robotic. The run through was painfully slow. He was especially sick of the cold shoulder he was getting from his leading lady. She was completely ignoring him when they weren't filming. She was being so childish. If this was a preview of what dating her would be like, then it would be more trouble than it was worth. Except that it would also be incredible, and it would make his heart burst out of his chest.

They'd finally made it to the last scene to shoot. It was late, he was tired, they all were, and everyone was ready to be done. It was the big climactic performance their characters shared at the school's prom, some stupid love song. They kept messing up the takes for one reason or another. Everyone was frustrated and over it. It literally said in the script that they were supposed to be mooning over each other and flirting back and forth. Fuck that.

He'd be embarking on tour in a few weeks, and once again he could be distracted by the road and forget about this whole thing. He needed to. It was consuming him.

The episode had brought up an interesting dilemma though. He had asked her to her prom. Did she still want him to go with her? He would assume not, but he wasn't one to back off from _his_ promises.

He mechanically ran his lines, not really caring that much if he didn't seem 100% into it. He wasn't 100% into it. How could he be, Austin was into Ally, and Ross certainly was not feeling it. He just couldn't see why she could let something so trivial as a stupid thing he said get in the way of them. He liked her, wasn't that enough? He figured if she wanted him to go to prom with her, she'd talk to him about it. He didn't even know when or where it was, and he figured she would just keep that information to herself.

They took their places on set, and acted as professionally as they could, even though everyone could tell something was up. The two stars barely said one full sentence to each other, which was definitely not the norm. But, when the slate clicked, both were in full Austin and Ally mode, singing their duet, staring into each other's eyes. False smiles were painted on their faces as they danced around each other.

He was so smug. She wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his face. Why was Ally even wasting her time? Austin was definitely going to disappoint her. He didn't have his shit together, too busy trying to be some cool guy rockstar, instead of focusing on important things like building their relationship. They were doomed to fail, so she didn't know why the writers were so insistent upon bringing the two together.

She looked around at the high school gym set decorated to appear as a prom. Everyone's faces conveyed excitement and happiness, but all she felt was disappointment. She was supposed to have the perfect prom, with the perfect date, and now she didn't even know where they stood with that. He hadn't brought it up, and obviously she wasn't going to. Whatever, they were done after today and then she would be back to school with real people and she wouldn't even have to think about Ally or Austin or Ross, for that matter.

"Cut. Can we try that scene again? Maybe with less bouncing around. Ross you look like you're a bundle of nerves. Laura, you look kind of frightened," their director commented.

"Maybe we have Ross walk down to meet her in the middle?" one of the production assistants asked. Ross sighed and begrudgingly took his mark. "Scene 4. Take 5. Action."

Ross slowly walked down the steps from the stage, making his way across the disco ball lit gymnasium set. The spotlight was on Laura, and even though he was pissed at her, she still looked like a shining beacon of light. Damn her for always looking so radiant.

Her lip quivered, showing that precious vulnerability that she brought to her character. He started to serenade her, reaching his hand out for her to grasp. He held on for dear life, keeping her close to him as he sung to her, their noses practically touching. She started to sing, captivating him with her eyes. They slowly swayed as the cameras rolled around them, capturing every move they made.

Every time he looked into those brown eyes, he got flashbacks to all of the great times they'd shared. He thought back about the first time they met. The countless interviews and photo shoots. The time they traveled to Australia. The Empire State Building. The top of the Griffith observatory. The endless nights they'd spent filming. The movie premieres. The plane rides. The long drives.

The kisses.

There was no one else that made him feel that way. But he had played a part in fucking things up, and unfortunately for him, he didn't quite know how to fix it.

They finished singing the song, and it was time for the big climax to the scene. She turned to run off, but he grabbed her by the hand and brought her back, their bodies not quite pressed up against each other, but close.

"Ally wait. I need to say something."

"What is it, Austin?" she asked, her eyes boring in to his.

"I've missed you. I missed us. It's not the same being without you."

"I missed us, too," she whispered. He took her tiny hand into his and held it to his rapidly beating heart.

"I never stopped having feelings for you. There is no one else that makes me feel the way you do. We're meant to be together, we're partners, and that's the way it should be."

"What are you saying, Austin?"

"I'm saying, I want to be with you, Ally. I want to try things with us again. Promise me that we'll always be partners?"

"We'll always be partners, Ross," she breathed.

She blinked rapidly and her face turned beet red as she realized what she had said.

"Cut. Let's take a break guys," the director commanded, as the set stood eerily still. They had flubbed their lines before, saying each other's name in place of their characters, but this was different and everyone knew it.

He didn't say anything; he didn't let her hand go. Her eyes were wide, almost like she was in shock. Her chest rose and fell in rapid bursts and then he saw the hint of tears start to form. She let go of his hand and quickly darted off set.

Raini started after her, but Ross stopped her. "Let me."

He knocked on her door softly before opening the door. She had her face buried in a pillow on her couch.

"Hey, Laura?"

"Go away," she mumbled, muffed by the pillow.

"Come on, come back to set."

She lifted her head. Her eyes were red and she sniffed. "I am so embarrassed."

"Don't be, we mess our lines up all the time."

"Not about the lines."

He knew what she was hinting at, but he wisely ignored it. "I'm sorry, Laura. For everything. I was an ass and I understand why your feelings were hurt."

"We were both stubborn. I'm sorry, too."

"You know I care about you." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you, or that you thought I was only in it for the wrong reasons. I wasn't. That was never my intention, you have to know that. I'm not good at this. This stuff is kind of new to me, you know? Most of the stuff I know about romance or whatever is from movies, and I'm learning that it doesn't really work that way. I'm not the best at feelings stuff."

"You and me both."

"I hate the way things have been going since New York," he confessed.

"Me too. I hate to admit it, and this is the only time you'll hear it, but you were right. Dating a co-star while you work with them isn't the best idea. It does change the dynamic."

"But I want to be with you. That hasn't changed. You can't tell me that you don't feel the same way, Laura. You can't. That's why everything's been so fucked up."

"I want to. I do. But look at us, I'm a mess and we're a mess at work, and we aren't even dating. Everyone knows what's up."

"Yeah," he said lamely.

"It's not that I haven't thought about it or that I don't want it. It's just that I just don't think it's going to work. And if we force it, I'm afraid that it'll just make us hate each other. It's less complicated this way."

"So I guess prom's off then?" he asked.

"Guess so," she answered, her voice small.

"If that's what you want…" he whispered, his voice cracking.

She nodded, the tears starting their descent down her cheeks. He kissed the salty liquid as it ran down her face and lightly brushed his lips across her cheek. He reached over and pulled her close to him, as she sobbed into his shirt. He had to keep from tearing up himself. He'd never actually seen her truly cry, and he never wanted to again. He couldn't be the person to make her cry. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He didn't want to keep disappointing her. He didn't want to put their friendship at risk. It was tenuous at best at this juncture, but there was still hope for salvation.

It was what neither of them wanted; they both knew it, but it was the only way to salvage what they had left of their friendship.


	19. killing me softly with his song

_A/N: One more chapter after this plus an epilogue, we're at the home stretch! Not to fear though, the sequel is in the pre-writing stage and is called, Times Like These (had to go with Foo Fighters again). This one is a little cheesy, but sometimes we need that, right? Thanks for reading, and thanks to those who always review!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to the Fugees/Roberta Flack, the Postal Service and Foo Fighters._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

19: killing me softly with his song

_When you are out there on the road, _  
_ For several weeks of shows _  
_ And when you scan the radio _  
_ I hope this song will guide you home_

_-Such Great Heights, the Postal Service_

* * *

Ross pounded the shit out of the punching bag in their basement. Fuck this punching bag. Fuck relationships. Fuck stupid magazines. Fuck interviews.

"Whoa. Easy there, what'd that punching bag do to you?" Riker asked as he and Rocky descended the stairs.

Ross ignored them and kept his wrists moving.

"I'm not sure if I'm gauging the situation right, but you seem pissed," Rocky commented.

"Not shit, Sherlock. What would give you that idea?" his younger brother snarked as his next pop sent the bag flying into the wall.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly."

"Okay, well we're not going to give you a choice. What's up, dude? Didn't you have a good time tonight?" Riker held the bag still as Ross rested his arms against it, his lungs gasping for breath.

They'd just come home from another awards show. He'd been hoping to see Laura, as she had also attended, but no luck. The band presented an award together, so Laura had been paired up with some up and coming singer of whom Ross had never even heard. He lingered, waiting for her backstage, but she'd slipped away. He'd seen her sister briefly, but even Vanessa kept her distance. They were clearly avoiding him. He didn't blame her. They were in an awkward phase after they'd had their little emotional breakdown since the taping. Somehow they'd gotten through the episode (thank goodness it wasn't in front of a live audience), but he hadn't heard from her since. He was going to let her make the first move this time. The ball was firmly in her court.

He understood why she wanted to stay away, and maybe it was easy for her, but for him it was miserable. He felt hollow. He missed just being able to call her up or text her. He couldn't do those things now for fear of upsetting her. She'd told him it was better for them to be apart, and he would listen to her.

He wasn't the only one who was disappointed. Their fans were growing restless at the paucity of Raura material they had to work with, even the tumblr tags were littered with the same gifs and photo sets. They voiced their displeasure that they didn't get new pictures of the two co-stars together from the event, and he couldn't agree more. If only they knew the reason why.

The two of them had not taken pictures on set for the past few weeks because that would have required them to be in the same room between scenes and that just was not going to happen. Instead, they got a plethora of shots of Calum, Raini and Laura, the three musketeers, while he was off by himself. It wasn't that they were purposely excluding him, it was that he was excluding himself since he knew how difficult it was for her to be around him.

That fact made him despondent.

They sure as hell didn't talk about each other anymore in interviews. He knew how well that had gone over. What was even more embarrassing was that after the whole Raura 2023 fiasco, another interview of his came out where he had likened their relationship to that of a married couple. He had heard from Calum that she wasn't too thrilled about that one either. He had to learn to keep his mouth shut in general now when it came to this subject.

He couldn't help it though, everyone always asked him about her. Every interview, they brought her up. It came with being a part of a famous duo. The thing was, he liked talking about them because in some small way, it gave the fans hope, and it gave him hope, too.

He did care about her, and she had been a huge part of his life for the past four years. They'd been through so much together, she'd been his confidant and sounding board, and he had been her jester and chief counsel. They were friends. He wanted so badly to get back to that point, but now it felt like they were drifting further and further apart. They didn't even talk anymore. He would give anything, even give up the dream that they'd ever be together, if it meant she would just talk to him like she used to, before he fucked things up.

His emotions were stuck in this vicious cycle, obsessing over the sadness, anger and loneliness. He hated it, but he loved torturing himself at the same time. Love was a sickness, and he was afflicted.

It did not help that she looked like she was having the time of her life in the pictures he had seen thus far. She had uploaded a selfie with the guy she presented with, setting sail a new ship for her fans to support. And a lot of them did, since they didn't have any Raura news to bolster them. It made him sick to his stomach just to see it. And so he came down here to beat the shit out of this fucking punching bag.

He looked at his brothers and stated plainly, "I fucked up big time."

Both older brothers looked at each other, but remained silent. Ross might have considered himself an open book, but this was the first time he had acknowledged that he had issues pertaining to a girl.

"What happened?" Riker treaded gently.

"Laura and I hooked up while we were in New York." Rocky feigned a look of surprise before Ross cut him off. "Please, you guys don't have to pretend that you don't know, I figured Rydel would tell you all about it."

Rocky looked sheepishly at his younger brother. "Okay, so we knew, but I thought this was a good thing?"

"I thought so. I finally told her that I liked her."

"That's great, Ross," Riker encouraged. "Good for you, man."

"Yeah, well then it all went to shit."

"Did she turn you down?" Rocky found that hard to believe, she made as many googly eyes at him as he did to her.

"No, of course not. But this stupid interview I did came out and she got pissed."

"Why, what did you say?"

"Basically that I didn't see us dating any time soon, but maybe in 10 years."

Riker made a face. He wasn't a girl, but he could see how that wouldn't go over so well. "Dude. Sucks." Ross nodded. "So, she got mad over an interview. She can get over that, right?"

"I guess. But things got fucking awkward on set. On the last day she accidentally said my name while filming, and she kind of had a little breakdown. And even though we both wanted something to happen, we decided that it wasn't going to work."

"We, as in the both of you? Or we as in she decided?" Rocky questioned, eliciting a glare from his little brother. "What? Did you seriously agree to it because you felt that way? Or did you just agree because you let your pride get in the way, and you just couldn't let her know how bad you wanted it?"

Ross quietly replied, "I told her how I felt. She shut it down."

"That's not what either of you want," Rocky pointed out.

"Yeah, I know!" Ross snapped, running his hand through his sweat-streaked hair.

"Are you seriously going to just give up?" Riker asked.

"What can I do?"

"You can go and get your woman!" Rocky exclaimed. "She likes you, Ross. Right? You both care about each other. I know she cares about you, or at least it seems like she does when you guys are around each other. So, fuck some dumb thing you said. You say dumb shit all the time. But she still liked you!"

"You guys act like it's so easy."

"It's not easy, but make her see that you care about her. She wants you to show her you care about her. She doesn't really care about the comment, she was just insecure about it because she thinks you don't care," Riker continued.

"And even if she turns you down, at least you know you tried and gave it your all. Then it's her loss." Rocky ran his hand through his dark blonde hair.

Riker shot him a warning glance. He knew how hard it was to be in Ross's position. He gently counseled, "Ross, you're both miserable, so think, what would make you not miserable?"

He thought about it for a second. "Being with her."

"Tell her that. Get over your ego, dude. You're afraid because you don't want to be hurt. You're scared because you don't know exactly how she feels about you, and that kills you."

"That's not it. I know how she feels, but I can't get her to let go of her inhibitions and worries to just be with me."

"Well, maybe that's not completely why, but it is a part of it. I know you, you're persistent when you want to be, but you're scared. No one wants to get hurt. She doesn't want to get hurt. Let me tell you something. Love hurts sometimes. That's the risk you have to take because it is worth it."

"Yeah, dude, you gotta be able to be vulnerable, to take chances. Don't waste your time fighting your imaginary demons with this punching bag, go out and fight for her. And if you get hurt, you get hurt. That's what happens."

"It's kind of too late. We just finished filming the season finale. I didn't even see her tonight, it's like she was avoiding me on purpose. We're leaving for tour tomorrow. I'm not going to see her for like two months."

"Are you going to let that stop you? Who are you right now?" Rocky scoffed.

"There's a way to fix things, even if it isn't in person. You're not okay with losing her friendship, I know you're not."

"You need a big romantic gesture," Rocky suggested.

"Like, what? A falling piano?" Ross rolled his eyes.

"No, just think about her. You know her best; you know her personality. You guys have a lot of history together. How can you get through to her? It'll come to you."

He lay in his bed, music blasting in his ears. It was all good advice coming from his brothers and all, but he was still not sure how he could get to her. He continued his suffering by watching old videos. He really said some dumb shit in interviews over the years. Stuff that totally could be taken out of context. Jokes that could be easily misconstrued. He cringed at the way he acted towards her in some of their appearances. No wonder she thought what she did about the way he treated her. He had thought at the time he was being charming and cool, but he really did come off as sort of a dick. And he hated that Calum was right as usual, he did sort of eye fuck the shit out of her, a lot. He reached a certain point where he couldn't watch himself and he had to torment himself by watching her.

She'd been going to tons of events lately, doing a lot of interviews, not once mentioning him. She avoided the Raura questions, dodging them artfully with some clever little answer to deflect away from the truth. What was the truth anyway? At this point, there was no Raura. She was acting all bubbly and cute and happy. Was she happy? How could she be, when he wasn't? He wanted to know her secret, how she could be so normal?

He paged through picture after picture from photoshoots where she looked like a real woman, sex practically oozing off the screen. Some of these pictures made him want to cry. She looked so sexy, so fucking absolutely flawless that he knew when they became public, every other guy in the world would know what he knew…that she was extraordinary.

Then he'd lose her for good.

As he looked at all of these photographs where she pouted fiercely at the camera or gave serious face, he knew better, she was pretending. She was still a kid, they both were. They both thought they were more equipped to deal with their burgeoning adulthood and all it entailed than they actually were. They couldn't even deal effectively with their own feelings. They couldn't even communicate properly.

There were Instagram pictures of her from her senior week of high school. Even group pictures with Jake and all their friends. He wondered if they talked. She could talk to her ex, but she wouldn't talk to him. There were new vine videos of his castmates all having fun without him. He came to the realization that she probably was fine. She had a normal life and was able to move on. He was the odd one out. He was the one who needed her, not the other way around.

That was a sad realization.

New York was the climax of their relationship in his opinion. It was their break point, when everything changed. He'd been hesitant to watch the video of them singing at the Upfronts, as he thought it was just bring the wave of sadness crashing back onto his soul, but he clicked play anyway.

It was a great performance. There was something very natural about the way they sang to each other. He liked that she had taken the lead on the song while he accompanied her. That was the way it was supposed to be. The way they looked at each other, even though he had been upset by the thought of her getting back together with Jake, was undeniable. How had they not known before how they felt about each other? It was clear as day. He remembered being up on stage with her, feeling so free and impenetrable, like he could do anything as long as he was with her. Like no one could touch them. They looked like they belonged up there together. Maybe that's because they did.

And now he knew what he had to do.

* * *

"Hey guys!" she sat down and gave Raini a hug.

"Hey, Laura," her two co-stars said in unison.

"Jinx," Raini exclaimed with a wink at Calum.

"What were you guys talking about? You got suspiciously quiet when I walked in."

He made a muffled sound and pointed at his mouth.

Raini smirked, "_Calum_ and I weren't talking about anything."

He let out a loud breath. "Thanks for unjinxing me." An impish grin appeared on his face, "What were _you_ talking about when you walked in?"

Laura gave him a quizzical look. "What?"

"Nothing," he shrugged.

She pursed her lips together. "Come on, guys. Really? You're acting weird..er than usual."

"If you must know, we were talking about the video," Calum said with a smirk.

"What video?" she feigned ignorance.

"Really, Laura? You know which video. Everyone is talking about it," Raini replied.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She continued to deny it, but her eyes belied her true feelings.

"I know you saw it. He tweeted it out to the world. It's out there, no takesies backsies."

The brunette shrugged, "I honestly can say I haven't seen it. I've been busy."

"Well, it was really sweet," Raini offered.

"It doesn't mean anything."

"Laura." Calum paused for dramatic effect. "Laura."

"Stop saying my name."

"Laura," Calum repeated again.

Raini cut in, "I think it means everything."

"I don't need a big gesture. I know how he feels. I know how I feel. We just can't."

"Why not?" Raini asked with a hint of a whine.

"Because it's just too complicated. I don't want either of us to hurt each other."

"No one wants to. That's not the intention."

"I'd rather keep him as a friend. I don't want to lose him."

"Isn't that what's already happening though? We're all losing him a little bit. I mean, lose him or have a shell of him present in your life? He's already pulling away, but here he is, laying it all out there for everyone to see."

"That's the other problem. It's like everyone knows, but they don't really know. Our fans have made up this romance that technically isn't that far from the truth, but they have no idea about all this other stuff that's happened between us. So, it's like they all have a hint that something's there, and everyone's fixated on it. That's all I get asked about. All the tweets, all the red carpet interviews? I mean, at the TCA's all they asked about was Raura. It was embarrassing! Hey, everyone let's talk about my failed love life! Yay!" she gestured sarcastically.

"They didn't know. It's the media. They just want the scoop. It's stupid."

"I know that. I mean, the question was fine when it wasn't a thing, because 'Ha ha' it's a funny joke or we could just deflect it to being Raini and my friendship name, but now that something's happened…it has a different meaning, I guess," she trailed off. "I'm just uncomfortable, with the whole thing."

The two older co-stars knew why she was uncomfortable. The questions and the attention wouldn't bother her at all if the feelings weren't there for him.

"I'm sorry, Laura," Raini said, placing Laura's head on her shoulder and wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

Her voice was low, "Do you guys know how hard it is to answer those questions? I can't avoid them! Do you know how hard it is to keep having this failed relationship or whatever it was be thrust into my face repeatedly?"

Calum reached across the table and patted her on the shoulder. "It's tough, and you are dealing with it really well."

"He's not helping. He keeps setting off these frenzies. I haven't watched the video but I've heard all about it from my twitter and my friends. You would think nothing else is going on in the world right now."

"I don't think he cares about what anyone else thinks. He cares about what you think, and he wants you to know that."

"I know, it just sucks. The whole thing sucks," she sighed.

Their waiter appeared at the table providing a much needed distraction for Laura. But her two friends didn't exactly let up once they'd placed their orders and their food had arrived.

"How are prom plans going?" Raini asked, knowing how excited Laura had been for her senior prom.

Laura's face fell. Of course, change the subject to the other sore one.

"What? Not excited? Isn't that the American teenager's dream?" Calum asked, popping a fry into his mouth.

"You act like Canadians are so different," Raini rebuffed.

"Just cause you were in a movie called _Prom_ doesn't mean you're the expert," he tossed back with a coy smile.

Laura interjected, halting the back and forth between her friends, "Well, Ross kind of asked me to my prom."

"What? You didn't tell us that!" Raini and Calum looked at her.

"Yeah, we kind of didn't get too far in the planning stages before we decided not to go together."

"That sucks!" Raini sighed.

"Well, he's gone on tour anyway. I wouldn't make him come back."

Calum maintained, "I bet he'd be happy to."

"I wouldn't bet on that with the way we left things."

"Well, do you still need a date? I can step in…We all know I look super debonair in a tux," he offered.

"No, thanks though. I'm going to go with my group of friends. It'll be fun. I'm actually really looking forward to it being a distraction away from all of this stuff." Her solemn tone told them that this conversation was over and it was time to move to the next topic.

The three friends continued their dinner date, chatting about the show and Laura's impending graduation, avoiding the topic of their absent co-star. Once their younger castmate left to meet up with some of her high school friends, the two stayed behind.

"Her insecurity is the world's biggest cockblock," he declared, signing his name on the check with a flourish.

"I know. I just wish they'd get over it and just get together already."

"They're both miserable. I mean, I know she's afraid and all, but seriously. She's gotta take a chance sometime."

"And he's laying it out there. There shouldn't be a question of how he feels about her," Raini reasoned.

"I know. I talked to him the other night and he was just so sad."

"That video is like heartbreaking. He's so good in it."

"That's such a good song. I feel like she couldn't not know how he feels after watching that video."

"We have to get her to watch it first," she pointed out.

"She will. Curiosity will kill the cat," he quipped.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

His phone dinged with a new text. "Well, speak of the devil...Hmm...mmm-hmm, this is an interesting proposition."

"What?" Raini asked with her brow arched. He passed her his phone and watched as her face erupted into a huge grin. "Oh my god."

"Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in," he exclaimed in his best _Godfather_ impression.

* * *

Laura threw her purse on her desk chair. She knew she should be more enthusiastic at these last few high school parties, but she wasn't having any fun. She felt robotic, chatting up her classmates, posing for pictures, awkwardly dancing in the way only she could, but even though she was surrounded by so many of her friends, she felt so alone.

She pulled off her dress and threw on some sweats, climbing into bed after washing her face, brushing her teeth and going through all the motions of being a human. She turned on her iPad, thinking about responding to some fans on Twitter. She didn't even feel like doing that for the past few nights. Instead, she knew what she had to do.

"Hey, how are you guys all doing tonight?"

The crowd roared seeing him up there alone. One of their road crewmembers brought up a stool for him to sit on. The lights were turned low, and a dim purple spotlight shone on him alone.

"So, if you guys are okay with it, I'm going to play this one on my own." They cheered. "That's okay? Thanks, well this is one of my favorite songs, and I want to dedicate it to a friend of mine whom I recently kind of messed things up with. I wasn't too good of a friend, so I hope they take this song as like an apology because I'm sorry."

He started to strum his acoustic guitar, his eyes closed, head down, nodding to the beat. His foot tapped time. His strumming became faster and faster, more urgent.

His voice was low and raspy as he started to sing from his heart.

_Hello, I've waited here for you_  
_Everlong_  
_Tonight, I throw myself into_  
_And out of the red_  
_Out of her head she sang_

_Come down_  
_And waste away with me_  
_Down with me_  
_Slow how_  
_You wanted it to be_  
_I'm over my head_  
_Out of her head she sang_

_And I wonder_  
_When I sing along with you_  
_If everything could ever be this real forever_  
_If anything could ever be this good again_  
_The only thing I'll ever ask of you_  
_You gotta promise not to stop when I say when_

_She sang_

_Breathe out_  
_So I can breathe you in_  
_Hold you in_  
_And now_  
_I know you've always been_  
_Out of your head_  
_Out of my head I sang_

_And I wonder_  
_When I sing along with you_  
_If everything could ever feel this real forever_  
_If anything could ever be this good again_  
_The only thing I'll ever ask of you_  
_You gotta promise not to stop when I say when_

_She sang_

Laura flipped her laptop shut. She wiped the tears from her cheek with her sleeve. He had to go and be...him. She opened the DM he had sent to her a few nights before, when the video hit the internet, and read the sentence over and over until the tears blurred her vision so much that she couldn't see.

_Promise not to stop when I say when…_


	20. time of your life

_A/N: This is it, this is the end! Thanks to everyone who has read this story, and gotten me to almost 300 reviews! Love every one of you. It's a totally cheesy ending, but I hope you like it. I'm working on the sequel now, so it won't be too long until you hear from me again. As an aside, this will also be the last time I post on this site. I don't appreciate "critics" using the review function or private messaging to tell me to remove my story, leave the site, and threaten to ban me; this site has always represented a place where people supported each other and wanted to celebrate creation, and I don't want people who don't want to read my stories, reading my stories; and I think if you don't like it, don't read it. Again, it's not the site, it's these wardens who are making this much less enjoyable to post here. To these "critics," you should make better use of your time rather than spending it trolling for stories that violate trivial rules or stymieing the creative process. And until _every_ story that breaks the rules is off the site (read: never), I really can't take your idle threats seriously. But, excuse the rant, and enjoy the final chapter of Everlong._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. Song credits to Green Day, Jason Mraz, Train and Foo Fighters._

_Rating: T for language and content_

**Everlong**

20: time of your life

_So I won't hesitate, no more, no more  
It cannot wait, I'm sure  
There's no need to complicate  
Our time is short  
This is our fate, I'm yours  
_

_-I'm yours, Jason Mraz_

* * *

_Have fun tonight, sorry I couldn't be there._

She smiled as she read his text. Over the past few weeks, things had _finally _started getting back to normal. They'd started the process of rebuilding their friendship. After she'd seen the Everlong video, they'd had a long talk on the phone and things were slowly getting better. She accepted his apology, and she appreciated the gesture. It was a very Ross thing to do, very romantic and grand. The fans went crazy, thinking it was some love letter from Ross to her, but they both knew it represented more of a peace offering.

_I hooked you up with an okay substitution instead._

She clicked on the link in his text and a picture of George Clooney in a tux with a crudely drawn thought bubble that spelled out, "Ready for the Prom, Laura!" appeared on her iPad screen.

_He's not me, but it's the best I could do with so little time._

She had to laugh at his effort. At least they were back to the comfortable joking and playful teasing she had come to miss so much. It was becoming less awkward and she was thankful for that. Back to some semblance of normalcy, that's all she could hope for.

It was actually easier dealing with him from afar, and not having to face him on a daily basis. It allowed their heightened emotions and feelings to simmer down a bit, which is what they both needed. They'd talked on the phone a few times, and were back to their texting sprees. She had to admit, she did feel a twinge of sadness that they weren't going to Prom together, but that was okay. She couldn't dwell on it. She was going to have a great time with a big group of her friends regardless.

It was the end of senior year, time for the last blowout before graduation. She had immersed herself into senior activities, trying to spend as much time with her college bound friends as possible. It was time to have fun and enjoy these last fleeting days of youth. Everything she knew was changing, and that scared her more than she would ever admit.

She sat in front of the mirror, her hairstylist from _Austin & Ally_ working furiously to curl her hair as her makeup artist layered on the coats of mascara onto a set of dramatic false lashes. She looked down at the navy blue one-shouldered dress and played with the chiffon skirt. She loved her choice, it was short, swishy and sparkly and it made her feel cute and girly. It was fun, it was youthful, and it reminded her that she shouldn't have a care in the world; she was still a teenager. There was no rush to grow up; she could just take time and enjoy her last few days of high school.

She was excited to spend time with her friends tonight, and was sad to think that everyone would be scattering off to start their adult lives in a few short months. She thought about the show, and how that was going to end soon as well. They were doing a truncated season, of only 12 episodes, to work around Ross's touring schedule. She was so happy that R5 was taking off and getting huge, but the thought of her and Ross going their separate ways was scary. It would feel so strange to not see her castmates everyday, although she knew she'd still see Calum and Raini pretty often. She knew she would see Ross the least; that's just how it would be because of the nature of his schedule. She wasn't ready to accept it. No matter what had happened between them, he was still such an important part of her life. She hoped wherever he was tonight, he knew that. She wished he could be there, and she couldn't help but think he'd have loved to see her in her dress, too. They would've looked great together in the pictures.

But that didn't matter. She brushed her worries away, at least for tonight. She couldn't let anything bring her down. It was prom! It was time to enjoy the night, enjoy her friends, and enjoy herself. There was time for all that other stuff later. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and was really happy, first time in a while. Now it was time to be young.

She walked slowly down the stairs as her father snapped picture after picture. Her mom was wrangling the various members of her family as well as Raini and Calum who had come over to see their proverbial little girl off to the Prom. She was so happy they were there, it distracted from the fact that their other co-star wasn't. She posed for a bunch of pictures with her sister and her parents before they all caravanned through Calabasas to the West Hills to one of her friend's houses, where everyone was meeting up for the pre-Prom festivities.

After what seemed worse than a paparazzi line at a red carpet event, the parents were all finally pleased with the snapshots, and all the hugs to their babies were doled out. The limo that would take them to dinner then down through Hancock Park to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) arrived. She said her goodbyes and gave her hugs and climbed aboard, ready to have the time of her life.

She danced along, laughing uproariously, her hands doing some sort of raise the roof motion as she linked her arm with her best friend from school. She was practically skipping towards the entrance to the museum, ready to start the party. The sun was starting to set, a breeze blowing crackling energy through the Los Angeles air. Best Prom ever.

"Laura."

She knew that voice. She stopped dancing, dropping her friend's arm. She looked up, her eyes widening at the sight in front of her. "Oh my god."

"Sup?" he said with a nod of his chin.

"Oh my god."

Ross leaned up against one of the hundred lampposts making up the _Urban Light_ instillation in front of the museum. Her jaw literally hit the ground. He stood there, the true definition of sexy in a dark blue blazer with black lapels and a crisp, white shirt and black tie to match her dress. He puffed out his chest as he popped his collar a bit, winking at her.

"What is happening?" she yelped as flashes from her friends' phones temporarily blinded her. He had to laugh at the awestruck face she had, the expression would make a great meme. He looked over at his sister, who caught it all with her iPhone, giving him a thumbs up. Thank god for the backup from his family.

"I am here to take you to the Prom, Laura Marano. But first, a song…"

Riker handed him a ukulele, and he started to strum a familiar tune before sharing his own wink with her. He signaled to his brothers and sister and they started to clap and play maracas and other assorted instruments she couldn't even make out. She was confused! Nothing was making sense to her and she wasn't sure if she was dreaming this up or what. Ratliff beat the tambourine against his leg, jamming out, motioning with his hands to get her to move. She hadn't even noticed that they were there, dispersed amongst the lampposts. She looked around, watching as her friends clapped along, seeing her sister, Raini and Calum with the corner of her eye. Would someone tell her what the hell was happening?

"OhMiGod," she yelped as she recognized the song. Ross's face lit up as he grinned the biggest, cheesiest smile she'd ever seen. His face mirrored hers.

_Heeey heeeey heeeeey_

_Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains_  
_I knew I wouldn't forget you_  
_And so I went and let you blow my mind_  
_Your sweet moonbeam_  
_The smell of you in every single dream I dream_  
_I knew when we collided you're the one I have decided_  
_Who's one of my kind_

_Hey soul sister, ain't that mister mister on the radio, stereo_  
_The way you move ain't fair you know_  
_Hey soul sister, I don't wanna miss a single thing you do tonight_

He seamlessly tossed the ukelele to Rocky and moved towards her, his feet somehow sliding across the cement sidewalk like he was dancing on air. Her eyes followed as he twirled around her. He took her hand and held it out, dancing with her, making her sway with him and spinning her as he continued to sing.

_Heeey heeeey heeeey_

_Just in time, I'm so glad you have a one track mind like me_  
_You gave my life direction_  
_A game show love connection, we can't deny_  
_I'm so obsessed_  
_My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest_  
_I believe in you, like a virgin, you're Madonna_  
_And I'm always gonna wanna blow your mind_

_Hey soul sister, ain't that mister mister on the radio, stereo_  
_The way you move ain't fair you know_  
_Hey soul sister, I don't wanna miss a single thing you do tonight_

He pat his chest several times, leaning in and singing the song to her. He turned to Rydel, who tossed him a box. He raised his eyebrows at her as he ripped it open and slipped a corsage made of cymbidium orchids around her wrist. A small crowd had formed to watch the impromptu concert and erupted as he placed the flowers around her hand.

_The way you can cut a rug_  
_Watching you is the only drug I need_  
_So gangster, I'm so thug_  
_You're the only one I'm dreaming of_  
_You see I can be myself now finally_  
_In fact there's nothing I can't be_  
_I want the world to see you being with me_

_Hey soul sister, ain't that mister mister on the radio, stereo_  
_The way you move ain't fair you know_  
_Hey soul sister, I don't wanna miss a single thing you do tonight_  
_Hey soul sister, I don't wanna miss a single thing you do tonight_  
_Heeey heeeey heeeeey (tonight)_  
_Heeey heeeey heeeeey (tonight)_

She mouthed the words with him, like she used to when they'd first bonded on set. Their audience clapped as he finished the final verse and pulled her in for a long hug, swaying them back and forth.

"Do you remember?" he whispered into her hair.

She closed her eyes and remembered the very moment. It was super cheesy, and she was sure everyone around them thought so, but this was the one of the first songs he'd ever sang to her. They'd just met and he was learning how to play the ukulele. For a while this was the only song he knew how to play on the new instrument. And so he played it incessantly. She'd gotten sick of it, but eventually it had become one of her favorites because every time she heard it, she thought of him.

He pulled away and looked at her, searching her face for her reaction. "Well? Surprise! You surprised?"

"Uhh, yeah?" she breathed, his just being there, in front of her rendered her dumbstruck.

"How'd I do? Too cheesy? It was either Train or the theme song to _Arrested Development_, you know I only know two songs on ukulele."

"Yeah, is there such a thing as too cheesy? I thought it was perfect."

"Did it remind you of early 2011? I was trying to bring it back. Throwback, to what we used to be. What we should be again."

She smiled wistfully, "Yeah, it did. But, how? I don't even know. I mean, what? Aren't you supposed to be in Wisconsin?"

"I had something I had to come back for that was more important, plus show's not until tomorrow anyway."

"How did you?" she gestured to his suit that was eerily matching her dress.

"Oh yeah, we have to stop matching like this, what will our fans think?" She laughed. "I have a redheaded spy who may have sent me a picture of your dress."

She looked around and motioned for her friends to come closer. "You guys were all in on this?"

Raini nodded, "Yeah, you know how hard it is to keep a secret from you?"

"Not that hard?" she asked.

"Yeah, actually pretty easy," Vanessa smirked.

"You had no idea," Calum smiled. The rest of his siblings came over and hugged her, exchanging pleasantries, all the while she kept beaming at him.

"Thanks, Ross. This really means a lot."

"I know you really wanted to go with me," he raised his eyebrows cockily.

She hit him on the arm. "We're not inside yet, buddy. I can still change my mind, you know."

"Yeah, but I've got this whole big gesture on tape, how would you look if you turned me down?"

"Aww, give him a chance," Rocky quipped. He started a chant, "Give him a chance, give him a chance." Soon the crowd around them joined in, and she couldn't help but laugh at the silliness that surrounded her.

"So you're going to blackmail me to taking you to my prom?"

"It's the only way you'll go out with me, right?" he stated wryly.

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint all these people," she relented.

"Yeah, I knew I'd wear you down."

"Hey, guys, hate to break up your little love fest over here, but we should get inside," her friend cajoled, tapping on her invisible wristwatch.

Laura grinned, giving all of Ross's helpers quick hugs before taking his hand.

"Have a great time, you guys!" a chorus of cheers shouted at the two as they walked arm in arm towards the entrance.

"Hey, before we go in, I wanted to give you something." He handed her a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and read the messy scrawl.

_Laura, to me you are perfect._

"Ross," she looked up at him, a serious look on her face.

"Laura," he mimed.

"What is this?"

"Well, I finally saw _Love Actually_, loved it, actually, and it gave me some inspiration. Everlong was a Ross thing. Hey, Soul Sister is a more Laura thing. It's fun, a little goofy, kinda funny, like you. I thought you would like it."

"I do like it. But you decided to make a very public gesture?"

"You think that I think I'm better than you, than us, than the show. It couldn't be further from the truth. I'm the one that isn't good enough for you. But even though that's clear, I still have to try because this is worth it to me to make a fool of myself for you. And I want people to know. Plus, I wasn't going to miss the only opportunity I had to go to the prom with the most beautiful girl I know. I like you. And even if you never return the feelings I have for you, I promise I will never on purpose let you down, if you just give me a chance. You have no idea how long I've waited, how long I've wanted to tell you. But if you just want to go back to being just friends, I'm okay with that, too. Because I do care about you, and I want you to be with me because you want to, not for any other reason."

He held his hand out to her, waiting for her answer.

She relished the way her small hand fit into his larger calloused fingers. She squeezed once and he squeezed back, clasping down. "I want this, too."

Everything was changing, finally, for the better.

He couldn't stop smiling if he wanted to, and she felt similarly.

"Hey Laura, what comes before Part B?" he set her up, knowing it would make her even more happy.

"Partaaay!" she replied with a cheerful laugh, sending his heart soaring.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she led him into her senior prom. He hugged her body tightly to his side, knowing that there was no place he'd rather be than here with her, and feeling comfort in the fact that she felt the same way. This was finally happening, and he hoped it could feel this real forever.

* * *

_A/N: That's it! The end. Sequel is called Times Like These. If you're interested in reading it, I will mostly likely be using wattpad in the future or you can message me or follow me on tumblr (standingoncanalandbowery) for updates on when that story will be posted. Thanks for sticking with me through it all. Hope you all liked it, epilogue coming later today._


	21. epilogue

_A/N: Now this is really the end. Thank you so much for all the reviews and love for the last chapter already! You won't feel that way about the epilogue, but I'm fully prepared for that. Sorry. But this way you'll read the sequel, Times like These, right?_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, __not the show, not the characters, not the songs. I am not affiliated with nor have I ever met anyone depicted in this fictional story. _

* * *

**Everlong**

_Epilogue_

"I'm Giuliana Rancic and we're back with E! News. Joining me is Catt Sadler with the latest in couples news in tonight's edition of So True, So False."

The reporter pivoted on her heels, gesturing to the large television screen behind her. "Thanks, G. Has Taylor Swift been spotted with a new man? Is a Disney couple calling it quits? Is Demi starting things up with a former boyfriend? We have all the details in tonight's So True, So False," she announced as a succession of video clips started to play.

"Taylor Swift spotted having lunch in Nashville yesterday with a mystery guy, could this be the start of a new relationship for the serial dater? This one is SO FALSE, sources tell us that the pair were friendly and joking around, but that the male friend left with another female following the luncheon. Speaking of the country cutie, all eyes will be on her when she performs at the Grammys this Sunday."

The screen changed to show a still shot of the two stars of _Austin & Ally_, then video clips of the two actors doing press at various red carpet events. "Trouble for a couple of Disney darlings? This one is SO TRUE. Reportedly, Ross Lynch and Laura Marano, the two 19-year old stars of Disney Channel's hit series _Austin & Ally_, which just completed its final season, have apparently split! The two allegedly started dating last May, but have recently called it quits according to sources close to both actors. Reps for the two could not be reached for comment."

He flipped off the television.

He rubbed his aching head, running his hands through his unruly blonde hair before hurling the remote control with all the strength he could muster towards the wall, flinching as he heard the sound of plastic shattering into millions of pieces, the sound echoing the feeling in his hollow heart.


	22. Author's Note

Author's Note: For those of you who read **Everlong**, just dropping a note to let you know that I've posted the first chapter to the sequel, **Times Like These**, on this site (not going to post on Wattpad, as originally planned). It's going to be rated M for some content in later chapters, just as a warning. If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for? J/k, please read it and leave me a note if you like it!


End file.
